"Stand  out  of  my  way!"  commanded  Kuirenie,  imperiously  as  before.  "I 
wish  to  go  on!"  Instead  of  obeying,  he  seized  her  horse's  bridle  with  an  iron 
grasp. —  Page  190. 

Gooff  Luck. 


GOOD  LUCK! 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  GERMAN  OF 

ERNEST    WERNER, 

Author  of  "Saint  Michael,"  "Broken  Chains,"  etc.,  etc. 


.   L   BURT  COMPANY,   Publishers 
52-55  Duane  Street,  New  York 


GOOD    LUCK! 

[GLUCK  AUF!*] 


CHAPTER  I. 

ALTHOUGH  the  afternoon  was  far  advanced,  the 
principal  church  of  the  Residence  was  full  to  over- 
flowing. The  great  numbers  present,  the  rich  floral 
adornments  of  the  altar,  as  well  as  the  long  row  of 
waiting  equipages  outside,  proved  that  the  marriage 
about  to  be  solemnized  here  excited  great  interest 
in  an  unusually  large  circle. 

The  bearing  of  the  assembly,  as  is  usual  on  such 
occasions  where  the  sacredness  of  the  place  forbids 
any  audible  expression  of  curiosity  or  sympathy, 
betrayed  an  expectant  unrest.  There  was  a  whis- 
pering, a  putting  of  heads  together,  and  an  eager 
attention  to  all  that  passed  near  the  sacristy  ;  until 
at  last  all  ended  in  a  general  half-suppressed  "Ah !" 
of  satisfaction  as  the  doors  were  thrown  open  and 
with  the  first  notes  of  the  organ  the  bridal  part}' 
entered. 

*" Good  luck!"  "God  speed  you!" — a  favorite  salutation 
among  miners. 

2138745 


2  GOOD  LUCK. 

It  was  a  large  and  brilliant  company  that  grouped 
around  the  altar  and  the  bridal  pair.  Rich  uni- 
forms, heavy  velvet  and  satin  robes,  rare  costly 
laces,  flowers  and  diamonds,  all  glittered,  undulated, 
and  blent  together  in  a  blaze  of  magnificence  daz- 
zling to  behold.  The  aristocracy  of  birth  and 
wealth,  present  here  in  its  most  distinguished  rep- 
resentatives, lent  an  unwonted  splendor  to  these 
marriage  rites. 

At  the  right  of  the  bride,  as  first  among  the 
guests,  stood  a  tall,  stately  officer,  whose  uniform 
and  numerous  orders  indicated  a  long  military  ca- 
reer. His  bearing  was  simple  and  dignified,  as  be- 
came the  solemnity  of  the  occasion  ;  and  yet  it 
seemed  as  if  the  gravity  of  his  features  concealed 
something  not  in  harmony  with  so  joyous  an  event. 
It  was  a  peculiarly  melancholy  glance  he  threw 
upon  the  bridal  pair,  and  as  his  gaze  wandered  over 
the  crowded  church  a  thrill  of  repressed  pain  or 
anger  seemed  to  pass  over  the  proud  features,  and 
the  firmly  closed  lips  quivered. 

Opposite  him,  by  the  bridegroom's  side,  stood  an- 
other gentleman  in  the  dress  of  a  civilian.  He  was 
somewhat  advanced  in  years  and  appeared  to  be  one 
of  the  nearest  relatives ;  but  neither  the  profusion 
of  brilliants  he  displayed  in  watch-chain,  rings,  and 
breast-pin  nor  the  immense  self-consciousness  of  his 
manner  could  give  him  the  faintest  gleam  of  that 
distinction  the  man  opposite  possessed  in  so  remark- 
able a  degree.  His  appearance  was  decidedly  com- 
monplace, not  to  say  vulgar;  and  this  was  only 


GOOD  LUCK  3 

heightened  by  his  present  air  of  unconcealed  tri- 
umph. It  was  with  infinite  complacency  that  he 
surveyed  the  bride  and  groom  and  the  brilliant  as- 
semblage— the  intense  satisfaction  with  which  one 
hails  the  attainment  of  a  long-sought  goal.  For 
him  there  was  no  shadow  to  dim  the  joy  and  splen- 
dor of  these  bridal  festivities. 

These  two  men  appeared  to  be  the  only  deeply 
interested  spectators  of  a  marriage  in  which  the 
bride  and  groom  were  most  indifferent  of  all.  The 
most  distant  of  the  guests  could  have  shown  no 
greater  unconcern  than  did  these  two  who  in  a  few 
moments  would  belong  for  life  to  each  other. 

This  young  bride  of  nineteen  years  was  undenia- 
bly a  beautiful  girl,  but  there  floated  about  her  an 
icy  atmosphere,  little  suited  to  the  place  and  time. 
The  light  of  the  altar  candles  played  among  the 
heavy  folds  of  the  white  satin  dress  and  flashed  back 
from  the  diamonds  of  the  costly  bridal  jewels,  but 
it  fell  upon  a  face  which,  with  the  beauty  of  mar- 
ble, seemed  to  have  received  all  its  coldness  and 
rigidity,  at  least  for  this  hour,  which  should  have 
animated  even  the  most  lifeless  repose. 

The  ash-blond  of  the  heavy  braids,  around  which 
lay  the  myrtle  wreath,  contrasted  strangely  with 
the  dark  brows  and  the  almost  black  eyes  which 
were  raised  but  once  or  twice  during  the  ceremony. 
The  pale,  regular  features  looking  out  from  the 
bridal  veil  wore  that  aristocratic  expression  which 
is  inborn  and  can  never  be  inbred.  This  was  the 
ruling  element  in  the  bride's  appearance.  It  was 


4  GOOD  LUCK 

betrayed  in  the  delicate  noble  outlines  of  her  face  ; 
it  was  impressed  upon  her  manner ;  it  was  so  in- 
woven into  her  whole  being  as  to  throw  every  other 
characteristic  into  the  shade. 

This  young  lady  seemed  created  to  move  only 
around  the  heights  of  life,  without  ever  coming  in 
contact  with  beings  of  a  lower  sphere,  and  yet 
there  was  an  expression  in  those  dark  eyes  which 
betrayed  more  energy  and  character  than  we  are 
wont  to  find  in  a  lady  of  fashion. 

Possibly  this  hour  demanded  all  the  bride's  en- 
ergy and  self-control,  for  as  the  ceremony  progressed 
the  gentleman  in  uniform  at  her  right  and  the  three 
young  officers  behind  him  fixed  the  most  searching 
glances  upon  her  face.  But  through  all  that  face 
remained  cold  and  impassive  as  at  first. 

The  bridegroom,  a  young  man  of  some  twenty- 
eight  years,  was  one  of  those  individuals  who  seem 
created  for  the  glittering  frame  of  the  salon,  and 
who  are  of  small  account  anywhere  but  in  the  fash- 
ionable world,  where  they  celebrate  their  triumphs 
and  pass  their  lives. 

Exquisitely  elegant  in  dress  and  manner,  he  yet 
appeared  blase  in  the  highest  degree.  His  refined 
and  pleasing  features  wore  an  expression  of  such 
entire  apathy,  such  utter  indifference  to  every 
earthly  thing,  as  to  rob  them  of  all  that  could  at- 
tract or  charm.  All  was  so  lifeless,  so  colorless ! 
Not  a  breath  of  red  in  the  cheeks,  not  a  gleam  of 
animation  in  the  whole  face,  which  looked  as  if 
neither  joy  nor  sorrow  could  move  it  from  its  in- 
sensibility. 


GOOD  LUCK.  5 

As  in  society  a  gentleman  conducts  a  lady  to  her 
place,  so  he  had  led  his  bride  to  the  altar.  Now  he 
stood  at  her  side  and  held  her  hand  in  just  the  same 
listless,  apathetic  way.  Neither  the  importance  of 
the  step  he  was  about  to  take  nor  the  beauty  of  the 
woman  he  was  to  marry  appeared  to  make  the 
slightest  impression  upon  him. 

The  clergyman  went  on  with  the  marriage  serv- 
ice. His  voice  rang  loud  and  clear  through  the 
church  as  he  asked  Herr  Arthur  Berkow  and  the 
Baroness  Eugenie  Maria  Ann  von  Windeg  if  they 
here,  in  the  presence  of  God  and  these  witnesses, 
took  each  other  for  husband  and  wife. 

Again  there  was  a  convulsive  movement  of  the 
officer's  features,  and  he  threw  a  glance  almost  of 
hatred  at  the  man  opposite  him.  The  next  moment 
the  double  "  Yes  "  had  been  spoken,  the  double  vow 
through  which  one  of  the  oldest,  proudest  names  of 
the  nobility  was  merged  in  the  plebeian  name  of 
Berkow. 

Scarce  had  the  last  word  of  the  benediction  been 
pronounced,  when  the  bejeweled  gentleman  rushed 
forward  with  the  evident  idea  of  giving  an  ostenta- 
tious salutation  to  the  newly  wedded  pair.  But  the 
officer  was  before  him.  Calmly,  but  with  the  man- 
ner of  one  who  claims  an  inalienable  right,  he  stepped 
between  the  two  and  clasped  the  bride  in  his  arms. 
But  the  lips  which  touched  her  forehead  were  cold, 
and  the  face  which  for  some  moments  bent  down  to 
hers  bore  an  expression  quite  different  from  its  usual 
haughty  reserve. 


6  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Courage,  my  father  !  it  must  fie" 

The  words,  audible  to  him  alone,  recalled  the 
baron  to  his  self-possession.  Once  again  he  folded 
his  daughter  to  his  heart,  and  there  was  in  his 
whole  manner  something  like  an  entreaty  for 
pardon.  Then  he  released  her  from  his  arms  and 
delivered  her  to  the  unavoidable  embrace  of  the 
other  gentleman,  who  with  visible  impatience  had 
waited  to  congratulate  his  "  dear  daughter-in-law." 

Eugenie  made  no  resistance,  for  the  eyes  of  the 
whole  assembly  were  upon  her.  She  stood  im- 
movable ;  no  feature  of  the  beautiful  face  changed ; 
but  the  eyes  were  lifted,  and  there  was  in  their 
glance  such  unapproachable  pride,  such  icy  repul- 
sion against  what  she  could  not  possibly  avert,  that 
the  father  in-law,  quite  disconcerted,  at  once  sub- 
dued his  first  violent  tenderness,  assuming  in  its 
stead  a  respectful  courtesy.  The  embrace  which 
followed  was  a  mere  form,  in  which  Berkow's  arm 
just  swept  the  airy  folds  of  the  bridal  veil.  The  by 
no  means  small  self-conceit  of  the  new  relative  had 
cowered  before  that  haughty  glance. 

Young  Berkow  did  not  make  matters  so  difficult 
to  his  father-in-law.  Something  like  a  pressure  of 
the  hand,  in  which  his  white  glove  scarce  came  in 
contact  with  that  of  the  baron,  was  exchanged  be- 
tween them.  It  appeared  to  quite  satisfy  both. 
The  bridegroom  now  offered  the  bride  his  arm,  and 
they  passed  down  the  aisle.  The  bride's  satin 
train  swept  the  marble  steps  of  the  vestibule,  and 
behind  came  the  gorgeous  array  of  guests.  Soon 


GOOD  LVCK.  fl- 

atter the  equipages,  one  after  another,  rolled  swiftly 
away. 

The  church  was  quickly  vacated.  Some  pressed 
to  the  doors  and  windows  to  gaze  after  the  bridal 
party  :  others  hurried  out  to  exchange  remarks  over 
the  appearance  of  the  bride  and  groom  and  wed- 
ding-guests. In  less  than  ten  minutes  all  within 
was  silent  and  desolate. 

But  the  twilight  gleamed  through  the  lofty 
chancel  window,  flooding  with  its  roseate  beams 
altar  and  altar  paintings,  so  that  the  ancient  figures 
on  that  golden  ground  seemed  to  be  alive.  Moved 
by  the  breeze,  the  tapers  swayed  to  and  fro,  while 
from  the  chancel  floor  exhaled  the  perfume  of  the 
flowers  that  had  been  strewn  there  with  lavish 
hand.  The  ladies'  trains  had  swept  over  them :  the 
gentlemen's  feet  had  crushed  them.  Of  wrhat 
account  were  these  poor  flowers  amid  the  lavish 
diamond  splendor  of  those  nuptial  rites  which  had 
sealed  the  union  of  the  daughter  of  a  proud  heredi- 
tary race  with  the  son  of  a  millionaire  ? 

The  equipages  had  already  drawn  up  before  the 
baronial  mansion  and  the  brilliantly  lighted  rooms 
began  to  be  alive  with  guests.  In  the  reception- 
room,  amid  the  dazzling  glow  of  wax-tapers,  stood 
the  young  bride  leaning  on  her  husband's  arm,  and 
just  as  proud  and  cold  as  an  hour  ago  she  had  stood 
at  the  altar  and  received  the  congratulations  of  the 
wTedding-guests. 

Was  it  happiness  her  bridal  vow  had  sealed  ?  The 
melancholy  shadow  that  would  not  lift  from  her 
father's  haughty  forehead  gave  answer. 


GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  II. 

"  Now,  thank  Heaven,  things  are  at  last  in  order ! 
and  it  is  high  time,  for  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour  they 
may  be  here.  I  have  given  the  men  on  the  hill 
exact  instructions.  As  soon  as  the  carriage  comes 
in  sight  they  are  to  fire  the  first  salute." 

"  But,  Herr  Director,  you  are  too  hasty — too 
much  excited." 

"  Spare  your  energies  for  the  all-important 
moment  of  reception !" 

"  In  your  present  proud  position  of  master  of 
ceremonies  and  marshal-in-chief—  -"began  another. 

"  No  more  of  your  witticisms,  gentlemen,"  inter- 
rupted the  director  angrily.  "I  wish  they  had 
honored  one  of  you  with  this  accursed  post.  I  have 
had  enough  of  it." 

All  the  officers  of  the  great  Berkow  mines,  in  full 
society  dress,  had  gathered  at  the  foot  of  the 
terrace  before  the  mansion  house.  This  house,  built 
in  the  most  elegant  modern-villa  style,  with  its 
costly  fagade,  its  lofty  plate-glass  windows,  and  its 
magnificent  entrance,  more  resembled  a  palace  than 
a  country-house.  Broad,  tasteful  pleasure  grounds 
surrounded  it,  giving  an  impression  of  boundless 
wealth  and  lavish  expenditure,  which  was  greatly 
enhanced  to-day,  when  all  was  in  gala  dress. 


GOOD  LTJCK.  9 

The  hot-houses  had  apparently  yielded  their 
choicest  treasures  for  the  adornment  of  staircases, 
balconies,  and  terraces.  Hare  and  costly  plants, 
which  seldom  come  in  contact  with  the  outside  air, 
here  unfolded  their  tropical  splendors  and  filled  the 
air  with  their  fragrance. 

Upon  the  velvety  lawn,  surrounded  by  carefully 
tended  native  flowers,  now  in  the  first  glories  of  the 
awakening  spring,  fountains  sent  up  their  glittering 
spray,  and  at  the  entrance  to  the  grounds  stood  a 
grand  triumphal  arch,  profusely  decorated  with 
flags  and  garlands. 

"  I  have  had  enough  of  this !"  repeated  the 
director,  joining  the  circle  of  officers.  "Herr 
Berkow  demands  the  most  brilliant  reception  pos- 
sible, and  believes  that  for  this  nothing  is  needed 
but  unlimited  access  to  his  cash-box  :  as  to  the 
good-will  of  the  miners,  he  never  brings  that  into 
account.  If  we  only  had  the  miners  of  twenty 
years  ago !  If  there  was  then  a  holiday,  a  festival, 
or  even  a  dance,  we  need  have  no  anxiety  about  the 
cheers :  now  there  is  passive  indifference  on  the  one 
side  and  open  hostility  on  the  other.  They  were 
almost  ready  to  refuse  our  young  gentleman  any 
reception  at  all !  When  you  return  to  the  Resi- 
dence to-morrow,  Herr  Schaffer,  you  must  be  care- 
ful to  drop  no  hint  of  matters ;  our  proprietor 
either  does  not  or  will  not  know." 

"  I  will  be  careful,"  returned  Herr  Schaffer. 
"  "Would  you  yourself  like  to  encounter  the  fine 
phrases  of  our  chief  when  he  hears  anything  dis- 


10  GOOD  LUCK. 

pleasing  to  him  ?  In  such  a  case,  I  get  as  far  from 
him  as  possible." 

The  officers  laughed.  The  absent  chief  did  not 
seem  to  be  the  object  of  any  great  respect  in  their 
circle. 

"  But  he  has  really  brought  about  this  aristo- 
cratic marriage,"  said  the  engineer.  "  He  has  given 
himself  no  end  of  trouble  to  secure  it ;  and  I  really 
hope  it  will  solace  him  for  the  loss  of  that  patent  of 
nobility  they  still  obstinately  refuse  him  in  spite  of 
all  his  schemes  and  efforts  to  obtain  it.  He  at  least 
has  the  triumph  of  seeing  that  the  old  nobility  no 
longer  take  offense  at  his  plebeian  name,  since  the 
Windegs  ally  themselves  with  it." 

"  They  could  not  help  it,"  replied  Herr  Schaffer. 
ts  The  embarrassed  circumstances  of  the  Windegs 
are  well  known  at  the  Residence.  I  doubt  the 
baron's  willingness  to  sacrifice  his  daughter  in  such 
a  speculation.  He  belongs  not  only  to  the  oldest, 
but  to  the  haughtiest  aristocracy.  Yet  even  he  and 
his  had  to  bow  at  last  to  stern  necessity." 

"  Well,  one  thing  is  certain,"  replied  the  director : 
"this  aristocratic  alliance  costs  us  a  prodigious 
sum  of  money.  In  any  event,  the  baron  has  made 
his  own  conditions,  and  I  cannot  see  the  advantage 
of  all  this  sacrifice.  It  still  remains  a  daughter-in- 
law  bought  for  her  rank  and  name,  and  Arthur  will 
continue  to  be  no  less  a  plebeian,  even  though  he 
has  a  wife  of  ancient  lineage." 

"  Do  you  believe  it  ?"  said  Herr  Schaffer.  "  I 
think  quite  the  contrary.  To  the  husband  of  the 


GOOD  LUCK.  11 

Baroness  Windeg-Rabenau,  the  son-in-law  of  the 
baron,  they  will  not  refuse  that  title  for  which  his 
father  has  striven  in  vain ;  but,  let  this  be  as  it 
may,  they  cannot  prevent  his  now  associating  with 
that  circle  which  has  hitherto  excluded  him.  Teach 
me  anything  about  our  chief !  He  knows  just 
what  this  marriage  will  bring  him  and  is  therefore 
regardless  of  its  cost." 

One  of  the  officers,  a  young,  very  blond  man, 
with  tightly  fitting  dress  coat  and  faultless  kid 
gloves,  here  thought  proper  to  make  a  remark. 

"  I  cannot  understand  why  our  bride  and  groom 
make  their  wedding-tour  to  this  out-of-the-way 
place,  and  not  to  the  land  of  poesy — to  Italy " 

The  engineer  laughed  aloud. 

"  No  more  of  that,  Wilberg !  Poesy  in  this  mar- 
riage between  money  and  rank !  Besides,  wedding- 
tours  to  Italy  are  so  much  the  fashion  that  they 
must  seem  plebeian  to  Herr  Berkow.  The  aristoc- 
racy go  to  their  estates  to  pass  the  honeymoon,  and 
above  all  things  we  must  and  will  be  aristocratic !" 

"  I  fear  there  are  more  serious  reasons,"  said  the 
director.  "The  young  gentleman  might  run  the 
same  career  in  Rome  or  Naples  that  he  ran  last 
year  at  the  Residence,  and  it  was  high  time  to  put 
an  end  to  such  extravagance.  His  expenditures  at 
length  rose  into  the  hundred  thousands.  One  can 
exhaust  a  fountain,  and  Herr  Arthur  was  in  a  fair 
way  to  try  this  experiment  for  his  father." 

Herr  Schaffer's  thin  lips  curled  derisively. 

"  The  father  reared  his  son  in  this  way,"  he  said  ; 


12  GOOL  LUCK. 

"  he  only  reaps  what  he  has  sown.  But  you  may 
be  right.  In  a  solitude  like  this  a  man  may  per- 
haps sooner  learn  to  yield  to  the  control  of  a  young 
wife.  But  I  fear  that  this  wife,  with  her  small  en- 
thusiasm, undertakes  no  enviable  task." 

"  Do  you  believe  she  has  been  coerced  into  the 
marriage  3"  asked  Wilberg  eagerly. 

"  Oh,  no  !  not  at  all.  Things  in  our  day  are  not 
so  tragically  carried  on.  A  little  sensible  persua- 
sion, a  clear  insight  into  circumstances,  brought  it 
all  about,  and  I  have  no  doubt  this  marriage  of  con- 
venience will  in  the  end  turn  out  to  be  quite  endur- 
able, as  in  most  such  cases." 

The  blond  Herr  Wilberg,  who  apparently  had  a 
passion  for  the  tragic,  mournfully  shook  his  head. 

"  Ah,  I  fear  not !  If  only,  later,  the  true  love 
awakes  in  this  young  woman's  heart — if  another — 
my  God,  Hartmann !  couldn't  you  lead  your  men. 
through  another  route  ?  You  are  enveloping  us  all 
in  a  cloud  of  dust !" 

The  young  miner  Hartmann,  who  was  passing  at 
the  head  of  a  column  of  some  fifty  of  his  comrades, 
turned  and  threw  a  scornful  glance  upon  the  gala 
dress  of  the  speaker,  and  then  a  second  upon  the 
dusty  highway,  where  the  rough  shoes  of  the  miners 
certainly  raised  a  cloud  of  dust. 

"  Kight-about — face  !"  commanded  he,  deigning 
no  reply  to  Wilberg.  The  men  obeyed  and  with 
military  precision  turned  and  took  the  designated 
course. 

"  A  bear — this  Hartmann !"  said  Wilberg,  brush- 


GOOD  LUCK.  13 

ing  his  coat  with  his  handkerchief.  "  Had  he  even 
a  word  of  apology  for  his  rudeness  !  '  Eight-about 
— face,'  he  said,  with  a  tone  of  command  as  if  he 
was  a  general  at  the  head  of  his  army !  And  what 
airs  he  gives  himself !  If  his  father  had  not  inter- 
fered he  wouldn't  have  allowed  Martha  Ewers  to 
recite  my  poem  in  honor  of  the  bride — my  poem 
that  I " 

"  Have  already  read  to  all  the  world,"  added  the 
chief  engineer,  turning  to  the  director.  "  If  it  was 
only  shorter  !  But  our  poet  is  right :  it  was  a  piece 
of  impudence  for  Hartmann  to  forbid  the  recital. 
You  should  not  have  posted  him  and  his  men  just 
here.  We  need  not  expect  them  to  take  part  in  the 
reception:  they  are  the  most  obstinate  fellows  in 
the  whole  works.'" 

"  And  also  the  most  stately,"  said  the  director. 
"  I  have  stationed  all  the  others  upon  the  route  and 
in  the  village :  the  elite  of  our  workmen  belong  to 
the  triumphal  arch.  On  such  occasions  we  want  to 
make  the  best  show  possible  with  our  men." 

The  young  miner  Hartmann  had  meantime 
posted  his  comrades  around  the  triumphal  arch. 
The  director  was  right :  he  was  a  stately  fellow, 
towering  at  least  a  head  above  all  his  men.  He 
was  a  powerful,  strongly  built  figure,  and  looked 
especially  distinguished  in  his  dark  miner's  dress. 
According  to  the  strict  rules  of  beauty  his  face 
could  not  be  called  handsome :  the  forehead  was  some- 
what too  low,  the  lips  too  full,  the  lineaments  not 
sufficiently  noble.  But  these  sharp,  clearly  cut  fea- 


14  GOOD  LUCK. 

tures  were  not  commonplace.  Flaxen  curling  hair 
clustered  thick  around  the  broad,  massive  forehead, 
while  a  wavy  flaxen  beard  covered  the  lower  part 
of  the  face,  whose  bronzed,  healthy  complexion  did 
not  betray  its  frequent  withdrawal  from  the  light 
and  sunshine.  The  lips  were  curled  in  defiance, 
and  in  the  blue,  sullen  eyes  lay  a  something  inde- 
scribable— an  expression  common  natures  at  once 
felt  and  respected  as  superiority.  Embodied  energy 
spoke  from  this  man's  whole  being,  and  little  sym- 
pathy as  his  rigid  bearing  might  awaken,  at  the 
first  glance  you  felt  his  power. 

An  elderly  man,  who,  although  he  wore  the 
miner's  dress,  did  not  seem  to  belong  to  the  work- 
men, now  appeared,  accompanied  by  a  young  girl. 

"  Good  luck  to  you,  comrades !"  he  said.  "  How 
is  Ulrich  ?  is  everything  in  order  ?" 

Ulrich  nodded  assent,  while  the  men  answered 
his  salutation  by  a  hearty  "  Glilck  auf,  Herr  Over- 
seer !"  But  the  glances  of  most  turned  to  his  young 
companion. 

This  young  girl  of  twenty  years  was  really  very 
pretty,  and  the  peasant  costume  of  that  region  be- 
came her  charmingly.  Rather  petite  in  stature,  her 
crown  scarce  reached  to  the  shoulder  of  the  giant 
Hartmann ;  heavy  dark  braids  surrounded  her 
fresh,  slightly  sunburned  face,  with  its  blooming 
cheeks  and  clear  blue  eyes.  Her  form  was  robust, 
but  yet  graceful. 

She  made  a  gesture  as  if  to  reach  her  hand  to 
Ulrich,  but  as  he  remained  standing  with  folded 


GOOD  LUCK.  15 

arms  her  own  fell  quickly.  The  overseer  remarked 
this  and  fixed  a  sharp  glance  upon  both. 

"  Are  you  in  a  bad  humor  because  you  couldn't 
have  your  own  way  for  this  once?"  he  asked. 
"  Console  yourself,  Ulrich :  it  seldom  enough  hap- 
pens ;  but  when  you  go  too  far  your  father  must 
interpose  with  his  authority." 

"  If  I  had  anything  to  say  to  Martha,  I  should 
say  it,"  replied  Ulrich  decidedly ;  and  his  morose 
glance  swept  over  the  bouquet  of  rare  hot-house 
flowers  in  her  hand. 

"  I  believe  you,"  returned  the  old  man  :  "  it  would 
be  just  like  you.  But  Martha  is  my  sister's  child 
and  must  obey  me.  What  is  the  matter  with  your 
triumphal  arch  up  there  ?  The  flag-staff  has  sunken  : 
fasten  it  up  again  or  the  structure  will  fall." 

Ulrich,  to  whom  this  warning  was  evidently 
addressed,  threw  an  indifferent  glance  up  to  the 
threatened  garlands,  but  made  no  motion  to  come 
to  their  help. 

"  Do  you  not  hiear  ?"  asked  the  father  impatiently. 

"  It  is  my  business  to  keep  watch  up  here,  not  to 
stand  by  the  arch,"  replied  Ulrich. 

"  Can't  you  let  the  old  grudge  rest  to-day  ?"  asked 
the  overseer  angrily.  "  Well,  one  of  you  others 
attend  to  the  matter." 

The  miners  glanced  at  Ulrich  as  if  waiting  a 
word  of  assent  from  him,  but  none  was  given.  Onh7 
one  of  the  men  moved  as  if  to  accede  to  the  over- 
seer's request.  The  young  leader  turned  and  gazed 
at  him.  It  was  but  a  single  glance  out  of  those 


16  GOOD  LUCK. 

stern  blue  eyes,  but  it  had  the  effect  of  a  command. 
Every  man  at  once  stepped  back  ;  not  another  hand 
moved. 

"  I  wish  it  would  fall  on  your  obstinate  head  !" 
cried  the  overseer  in  a  rage,  while  with  youthful 
alacrity  he  himself  climbed  up  and  bound  the  flag- 
staff. "  Perhaps  you  would  then  learn  how  folks 
ought  to  behave  at  a  festival  ;  and  you  have  spoiled 
Lorenz,  who  used  to  be  the  best  of  you,  but  now  he 
only  does  what  his  lord  and  master  Ulrich  com- 
mands." 

"  Ought  we  to  rejoice  that  a  new  aristocrat  is 
coming  to  rule  here  ?"  asked  Ulrich  in  a  low  tone. 
"  I  thought  we  had  had  enough  of  the  old  one." 

The  overseer,  busied  with  the  flag-staff,  did  not 
hear  this  remark  ;  but  Martha,  who  had  stood  silent 
at  one  side,  turned  quickly  around  and  threw  an 
anxious  glance  up  to  the  arch. 

"  Help  him,  Ulrich,  I  beg  you  !"  she  said. 

The  obstinate  young  man  made  no  answer,  but 
his  features  were  not  a  shade  milder  or  more  com- 
pliant. The  girl  stood  motionless  before  him.  She 
evidently  wished  to  say  something,  but  was  half- 
afraid.  At  length  she  spoke  softly  : 

"  And  will  you  really  not  come  to  the  festival 
to-night  ?" 


"Ulrich!" 

"  Leave  me  alone,  Martha  !     You  know  I  do  not 
like  your  dancing  foolery  !" 

Martha  started  back,  but  her  red  lips  curled  in 


GOOD  LUCK.  17 

scorn  and  the  moist  glimmer  in  her  eyes  was  more 
tears  of  anger  than  of  sorrow  at  her  cousin's  rude- 
ness. 

Ulrich  did  not  remark  this.  He  did  not  seem  to 
trouble  himself  much  about  the  girl.  Without  a 
word  further  she  turned  her  back  to  him  and  went 
in  another  direction.  The  eyes  of  the  young  man, 
who  had  at  last  found  courage  to  help  about  the 
flag-staff,  followed  her  continually.  He  would  no 
doubt  have  given  much  if  the  invitation  had  been 
to  him  rather  than  to  Ulrich,  who  had  declined  it  so 
indifferently. 

Meantime  the  overseer  had  come  down  and  was 
regarding  his  work  with  great  complacency,  when 
the  first  salute  echoed  from  the  hill.  It  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  second  and  a  third.  This  signal  of  the 
arrival  of  the  long-expected  bride  and  groom,  as 
may  be  supposed,  caused  a  great  flutter.  The 
officers  were  in  lively  commotion.  The  director 
once  more  scanned  his  preparations.  The  chief 
engineer  and  Herr  Schaffer  buttoned  their  gloves, 
and  Wilberg  hurried  over  to  Martha  to  ask  for 
perhaps  the  twentieth  time  if  she  was  sure  she 
knew  his  verses — if  there  was  really  not  danger  lest 
by  some  untimely  fright  she  might  peril  his  poetic 
triumph.  Even  the  miners  betrayed  some  curiosit}* 
to  see  this  young  and  beautiful  woman,  their  future 
mistress.  More  than  one  tightened  his  leather  belt 
and  pressed  his  hat  down  over  his  forehead.  Ulrich 
alone  stood  quite  unmoved,  just  as  dumb  and  scorn- 
ful as  before,  and  threw  not  even  a  glance  in  the 
direction  of  the  coming  guests. 


18  GOOD  LUCK. 

But  the  reception,  arranged  with  so  much  ex. 
pense  and  trouble,  was  to  turn  out  quite  otherwise 
than  could  have  been  hoped.  A  cry  of  horror  from 
the  overseer,  who  stood  outside  the  arch,  drew  all 
glances  in  that  direction ;  and  what  they  saw  was 
terrible  enough. 

Down  the  declivity  leading  to  the  village  dashed, 
or  rather  flew,  a  coach,  whose  horses  had  become 
utterly  unmanageable.  Frightened  probably  at  the 
salute,  they  stormed  onward,  swaying  the  coach 
hither  and  thither  over  the  uneven  road  and 
threatening  every  moment  to  rush  with  it  over  the 
precipice  to  the  right  or  hurl  it  against  the  giant 
trees  at  the  left. 

The  coachman  had  lost  all  presence  of  mind.  He 
had  let  go  the  reins  and  in  mortal  terror  was  cling- 
ing to  his  seat.  From  the  hill,  where  the  inter- 
vening trees  shut  out  the  sight  of  what  had 
happened,  still  crashed  shot  after  shot,  goading  the 
terrified  animals  to ,  still  greater  fury.  The  fearful 
end  of  this  mad  journey  was  only  too  evident. 
The  catastrophe  must  come  at  the  bridge  below. 

The  throng  of  people  gathered  in  front  of  the 
house  did  what  such  throngs  are  wont  to  do  on  like 
occasions.  They  shrieked  aloud  with  terror  and 
ran  helplessly  up  and  down.  It  never  occurred  to 
one  of  them  to  offer  the  needed  assistance  :  even 
among  the  miners,  so  accustomed  to  scenes  of 
danger,  no  one  seemed  to  have  retained  his  pres- 
ence of  mind. 

Ah  !  but  there  was  one.     Taking  in  the  magnitude 


GOOD  LUGS:.  19 

of  the  danger  at  a  glance,  to  hurl  aside  his  father 
and  his  comrades,  to  rush  forward,  was  for  Ulrich  but 
the  work  of  a  moment.  In  three  bounds  he  had 
reached  the  bridge.  An  agonized  cry  from  Mar- 
tha followed  him.  Too  late :  he  had  already  thrown 
himself  in  front  of  the  horses  and  seized  the  reins. 
The  frightened  animals  reared  and  then  rushed 
forward  with  new  impetuosity,  carrying  Ulrich 
along  with  them.  Any  other  man  would  have  been 
trodden  under  foot,  but  Ulrich's  giant  strength  ere 
long  prevailed.  A  powerful  jerk  at  the  reins,  from 
which  he  had  not  for  a  moment  loosed  his  hold, 
caused  one  of  the  horses  to  stumble.  He  fell  and 
dragged  down  the  other  with  him.  The  coach 
remained  standing. 

The  young  miner  darted  up  the  steps,  in  certain 
anticipation  of  finding  the  occupants  of  the  coach, 
the  lady  at  least,  in  a  state  of  unconsciousness. 
This  was  the  usual  resource  of  aristocrats  in  the 
face  of  danger.  But  there  was  no  swooning  here, 
where,  if  in  any  place  in  life,  swooning  might  have 
been  justifiable.  The  young  lady  stood  upright  in 
the  coach,  convulsively  clinging  to  the  back  of  her 
seat  with  both  hands,  her  wide-open,  stony  eyes  fixed 
upon  the  precipice  down  which  the  next  moment 
they  were  almost  certain  to  be  dashed  ;  but  not  a 
syllable,  not  one  cry  of  terror  passed  her  firmly 
closed  lips.  Ready,  when  things  came  to  the  worst, 
to  make  a  spring  which  would  have  been  certain 
destruction,  she  had  looked  death  calmly  in  the 
face,  and  her  countenance  showed  that  she  had 
done  so  with  the  fullest  self-possession. 


20  GOOD  LUCK. 

The  animals  were  yet  struggling  upon  the  ground 
and  the  danger  was  still  great.  Ulrich  hastily  took 
the  lady  in  his  arms  and  bore  her  from  the  carriage. 
It  required  only  a  few  seconds  to  carry  her  over  the 
bridge,  but  during  that  short  space  she  fixed  her 
dark  eyes  upon  the  man  who  with  such  contempt  of 
death  had  thrown  himself  under  the  horses'  hoofs, 
and  his  glance,  too,  swept  that  beautiful  pale  face 
which  had  so  courageously  met  danger.  This  man 
had  never  before  felt  a  soft,  glistening  silk  dress  in 
his  arms  or  a  fleecy  white  veil  fluttering  over  his 
shoulder :  a  flush  of  embarrassment  overspread  his 
face,  and  he  hastily,  almost  violently,  set  the  lady 
down  on  the  other  end  of  the  bridge. 

Eugenie  was  still  trembling,  and  now  her  lips 
parted  for  a  deep  sigh  of  relief ;  but  this  was  the 
only  sign  of  the  agony  she  had  endured. 

"  I — I  thank  you,"  she  said.  "  Will  you  now  look 
after  Herr  Berkow  ?" 

Ulrich,  who  had  been  just  about  to  do  this,  now 
paused  unwittingly. 

"  Will  you  look  after  Herr  Berkow  ?"  said  the 
young  wife  in  a  moment  when  an}7  other  woman  in 
agonizing  cries  would  have  called  after  her  hus- 
band, and  she  said  it  very  coolly,  very  calmly. 
The  young  man  remembered  the  words  the  officers 
had  spoken  about  this  marriage  and  went  to  look 
after  Herr  Berkow. 

He  needed  no  help.  He  had  already  left  the 
carriage  and  was  coming  over  the  bridge.  Arthur 
Berkow,  even  in  this  catastrophe,  had  not  belied  his 


GOOD  LUCK.  21 

passive,  indifferent  nature.  When  the  danger  had 
come  so  unexpectedly  and  his  young  wife  had  made 
a  motion  as  if  to  spring  from  the  carriage,  he  had 
only  placed  his  hand  upon  her  arm  and  said  in  a 
low  voice : 

"  Keep  your  seat,  Eugenie !  You  are  lost  if  you 
venture  to  spring  out !" 

Not  another  word  or  syllable  had  been  ex- 
changed between  them.  Whiln  Eugenie  stood 
upright  in  the  coach  looking  for  help  and  resolved 
at  the  last  moment  to  make  the  dangerous  spring, 
Arthur  remained  immovable  in  his  place ;  but  as 
they  neared  the  bridge  he  had  for  one  short  moment 
placed  his  hand  over  his  eyes,  expecting,  no  doubt, 
the  next  instant  to  be  dashed  in  pieces. 

Now  he  stood  leaning  against  the  railing  of  the 
bridge,  perhaps  a  trifle  paler  than  usual,  but  without 
trembling,  without  any  visible  token  of  excitement. 
Whether  he  really  felt  none  or  whether  he  con- 
trolled it  even  now,  TJlrich  must  confess  that  there 
was  something  unusual  in  his  apathy.  The  young 
heir  had  just  looked  death  in  the  face,  and  now 
he  looked  at  Ulrich  as  if  that  man  who  had  rescued 
him  from  mortal  danger  was  a  sort  of  incom- 
prehensible curiosity. 

The  now  rather  superfluous  assistance  came  from 
all  sides.  Twenty  hands  were  at  once  raised  to  lift 
up  the  prostrate  horses  and  to  help  down  the  coach- 
man, who  was  almost  senseless  from  fright.  The 
whole  tide  of  officials  rushed  forward  and  over- 
whelmed the  bride  and  groom  with  all  sorts  of 


22  GOOD  LVCK. 

expressions  of  condolence  and  sympathy.  They 
vied  with  each  other  in  offers  of  help ;  they  could 
not  imagine  how  the  accident  had  happened ;  they 
blamed  the  shots,  the  horses,  and  the  coachman  by 
turns.  Arthur  for  some  moments  endured  all  this 
passively,  then  he  made  an  evasive  gesture. 

"  No  more,  gentlemen,  I  implore  you  !  You  see 
we  are  both  unharmed.  Let  us,  above  all  things, 
get  to  the  house."  , 

He  offered  his  arm  to  Eugenie  to  conduct  her 
there,  but  she  lingered  and  gazed  around. 

"  And  our  rescuer  ?  I  hope  nothing  has  happened 
to  him." 

"  Ah,  yes,  your  rescuer !  I  had  almost  forgotten 
him,"  said  the  director,  somewhat  embarrassed. 
"  It  was  Hartmann  who  held  the  horses.  Hart- 
mann,  where  are  you  ?" 

The  man  called  did  not  answer,  but  Wilberg, 
who  in  his  admiration  for  the  romantic  deed  quite 
forgot  his  recent  spite  against  the  doer,  cried 
eagerly,  "  There  he  stands  ;  up  there!"  and  hastened 
to  the  young  miner,  who  stepped  back  as  the 
officers  crowded  around  him  and  now  stood  leaning 
against  a  tree. 

"  Hartmann,  you  should — heavens !  what  is  the 
matter  with  you  ?  You  are  as  pale  as  death  ;  and 
where  does  that  blood  come  from  ?" 

Ulrich  was  evidently  struggling  with  a  mortal 
faintness,  but  still  an  angry  flush  passed  over  his 
face  as  Wilberg  made  a  movement  to  support  him. 
Enraged  at  being  seen  in  anything  so  like  a  swoon, 


GOOD  LUCK  28 

he  hastily  collected  himself,  rose  to  his  full  height, 
and  pressed  his  clinched  hands  against  his  bleeding 
forehead. 

"  It  is  nothing  at  all — a  mere  scratch,"  he  said. 
"  If  I  only  had  a  handkerchief." 

Wilberg  was  just  about  to  offer  his,  when  suddenly 
a  silk  dress  rustled  near  him.  The  young  Fran  Ber- 
kow  stood  at  his  side,  and  without  a  word  reached 
her  own  handkerchief  edged  with  costly  lace. 

The  Baroness  Windeg  could  never  have  been 
called  upon  to  offer  help  to  the  wounded,  else  she 
would  have  known  that  this  tiny  elegantly  em- 
broidered cambric  handkerchief  was  little  designed 
to  stay  the  blood  which,  as  yet  kept  back  by  the 
thick  masses  of  flaxen  hair,  now  welled  forth  in  a 
torrent.  Ulrich,  too,  must  have  known  this  better 
than  she  :  still,  as  if  without  knowing  it,  he  reached 
his  hand  for  the  proffered  handkerchief. 

"  Thanks,  your  ladyship,  but  that  will  not  be  of 
much  use,"  said  the  overseer,  who  now  stood  at  his 
son's  side,  with  his  arm  around  his  shoulder. 
"  Hold  still,  Ulrich !" 

So  saying,  he  drew  forth  his  own  coarse  linen 
handkerchief  and  pressed  it  against  the  apparently 
deep  wound. 

Arthur  Berkow  now  came  up,  accompanied  by 
the  other  officers. 

"  Is  it  really  dangerous  ?"  he  asked  in  a  drawling 
tone. 

"With  a  start  Ulrich  broke  loose  from  his  father 
and  stood  erect,  the  blue  eyes  flashing  scorn  and 
defiance  as  he  replied : 


24  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Not  at  all  dangerous  ;  no  one  need  trouble  him- 
self about  it ;  I  can  help  myself." 

The  words  sounded  rather  disrespectful,  yet  the 
service  just  rendered  had  been  too  great  for  any  one 
to  reprove  him.  As  for  Arthur  Berkow,  he  seemed 
only  too  glad  that  the  answer  relieved  him  of  all 
further  trouble. 

"  I  will  send  my  physician  to  you,"  he  said  in  his 
listless,  indifferent  way ;  "  but  our  thanks  are  still 
due  you.  For  the  present  there  is  help  enough. 
Shall  we  go,  Eugenie  ?" 

The  young  wife  took  the  offered  arm,  but  once 
more  she  turned  her  head  to  see  if  the  needed  help 
was  really  there.  It  seemed  that  the  manner  in 
which  her  husband  had  treated  the  affair  did  not 
meet  her  approval. 

"  Our  whole  reception  is  a  failure,"  said  Wilberg 
despondently  as  he  a  few  minutes  later  joined  the 
officers  who  had  accompanied  young  Berkow  and 
his  bride  to  the  house. 

"  And  your  poem  also  !"  replied  the  chief  engi- 
neer. "  Who  now  thinks  of  verses  and  flowers  ? 
And  to  any  one  who  believes  in  omens,  this  first 
entrance  to  the  new  home  does  not  seem  especially 
propitious — mortal  danger,  wounds,  blood  ;  but  this 
is  a  romance  just  in  your  style,  Wilberg.  You  can 
compose  a  ballad  about  it,  only  you  will  be  forced 
for  this  once  to  make  Ilartmann  your  hero." 

"  And  he  is  and  always  will  remain  a  bear !"  cried 
Wilberg  excitedly.  "  Could  he  not  even  give  our 
lady  a  word  of  thanks  as  she  offered  him  her  own 


GOOD  LUCK.  S5 

handkerchief?  And  how  rude  he  was  tc  Hen*  Ber- 
ko\v  !  But  this  man  has  a  giant  nature.  When  I 
asked  him  why  in  God's  name  he  had  not  sooner 
bound  up  his  wound,  he  answered  laconically  that 
he  had  not  until  just  then  remarked  it.  The  idea! 
He  received  a  blow  on  the  head  which  would  have 
knocked  any  one  of  us  senseless  ;  but  he  first  stops 
the  horses,  lifts  the  lady  out  of  the  coach,  and  does 
not  remark  that  he  is  wounded  until  the  blood 
gushes  out  in  a  torrent !" 

The  miners  meanwhile  remained  with  their  com- 
rade. The  manner  in  which  the  future  chief  had 
expressed  his  thanks  to  Hartmann  had  deeply 
wounded  them.  There  were  many  morose  faces, 
many  indignant,  cutting  remarks :  even  the  over- 
seer had  not  now,  as  usual,  an  excuse  for  the  young 
gentleman.  He  was  still  occupied  in  staying  th« 
blood  from  his  son's  wound,  and  Martha  was  assist- 
ing him. 

This  young  girl's  face  wore  such  a  look  of  un- 
mistakable anguish  that  Ulrich  must  have  noticed 
it  if  his  eyes  had  not  been  turned  in  an  opposite 
direction.  It  was  a  strangely  intent  and  bitter 
glance  which  he  sent  after  Arthur  Berkow  and  the 
depaiting  officers.  He  was  evidently  thinking  of 
something  quite  other  than  the  pain  of  the  wound. 

As  he  was  about  to  bind  a  bandage  around  the 
still  bleeding  forehead,  the  overseer  remarked  that 
his  son  still  held  the  lace  handkerchief. 

"  This  spider's  web  " — the  old  man's  voice  had  an 
unusually  bitter  tone — "this  embroidered  spider's 


26  GOOD  LUCK 

web  must  have  been  of  great  use  to  us !     Give  it  to 
Martha,  ray  son :  she  can  return  it  to  our  lady." 

Ulrich  glanced  down  at  the  handkerchief,  which, 
soft  and  fragrant  as  a  zephyr,  lay  between  his 
fingers ;  but  as  Martha  would  take  it  he  started,  and 
hastily  pressing  it  against  the  wound  dyed  the 
delicate  lace  blood-red. 

"What  are  you  doing?"  cried  the  father,  both 
surprised  and  angry.  "  Would  you  bandage  this 
deep  hole  in  your  head  with  that  gauzy  thing  ?  I 
thought  we  had  bandages  enough." 

"Ah,  yes,  I  did  not  think  of  that!"  returned 
Ulrich  hesitatingly.  "  Let  it  alone,  Martha !"  and 
without  another  word  he  tucked  the  handkerchief 
into  his  blouse  pocket.  The  hands  of  the  girl,  until 
now  so  active,  sank  helplessly,  and  she  looked  on 
motionless  as  the  father  arranged  the  bandage.  She 
fixed  her  eyes  inquiringly  upon  Ulrich's  face.  Why 
did  he  wish  to  render  the  costly  rag  useless? 
Would  he  perhaps  not  give  it  back  ? 

Young  Hartmann  seemed  to  have  little  talent  for 
the  sick  role.  He  had  already  shown  himself  very 
impatient  at  the  abundant  offers  of  help  :  now  he 
started  up  and  declared,  once  for  all,  that  it  was 
enough ;  he  would  be  left  in  peace. 

"Let  him  be,  the  stubborn  fellow  !"  said  the  over- 
seer. "  We  can  do  nothing  with  him  until  we  hear 
what  the  doctor  says.  You  are  my  right  hand, 
Ulrich !  You  would  not  help  build  the  triumphal 
arch  in  honor  of  the  young  master  and  mistress— 
that  would  be  too  humiliating.  But  you  could 


GOOD  LUCK.  27 

throw  yourself  before  the  horses  that  were  running 
away  with  that  same  master  and  mistress,  and  not 
trouble  yourself  in  the  least  about  the  old  father, 
who  has  nothing  but  you  in  the  whole  world ! 
Consistency,  I  suppose  you  call  that  in  your  new- 
fashioned  language !  Well,  you  others — you  would 
follow  your  lord  and  master  in  all  things — it  can 
really  be  no  shame  to  you  if  you  pattern  after  him 
in  courage." 

And  with  these  words,  which,  in  spite  of  their 
pretended  resentment,  very  plainly  showed  pride 
in  his  son  and  tenderness  for  him,  the  old  man  took 
Ulrich's  arm  and  led  him  away. 


28  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  III. 

IT  was  early  evening.  The  festivities  upon  the 
Berkow- estates,  at  least  so  far  as  the  young  master 
and  mistress  could  participate  in  them,  were  at  an 
end.  After  the  threatened  catastrophe  had  been 
so  happily  averted  and  the  excitement  it  had  caused 
had  died  away,  the  original  programme  had  been 
conscientiously  carried  out.  Now,  at  last,  Arthur 
and  Eugenie,  whose  attention  had  been  engrossed 
on  every  side,  found  themselves  alone.  Herr 
Schaffer,  who  was  to  return  to-morrow  to  the  Resi- 
'dence,  had  just  taken  his  leave ;  and  a  servant,  after 
having  arranged  the  tea-table,  had  left  the  room. 

The  lamp,  burning  upon  the  table,  threw  its  clear, 
mild  light  upon  the  pale-blue  damask  tapestry  and 
the  expensively  covered  furniture  of  this  little  par- 
lor, which,  like  the  other  apartments  of  the  house, 
had  been  newly  and  magnificently  furnished  for  the 
reception  of  the  bride. 

This  parlor  belonged  to  her  own  suit  of  rooms. 
The  closely  drawn  silk  curtains  quite  excluded  the 
gaze  of  the  outside  world ;  flowers  exhaled  their 
perfume  from  costly  vases  ;  and  upon  a  table  before 
the  little  corner  sofa  stood  a  silver  tea-service,  a 


GOOD  LUCK.  29 

picture  of  quiet,  harmonious  domestic  life  in  the 
midst  of  all  this  splendor. 

But  this  household  comfort  seemed  to  have  no 
spell  to  charm  the  young  married  pair.  The  bride, 
still  in  full  society  dress,  stood  in  the  middle  of  the 
room,  holding  in  her  hand  the  bouquet  which  Wil- 
berg,  in  Martha's  stead,  had  had  the  happiness  of 
presenting  her.  The  perfume  of  the  orange-blossoms 
so  absorbed  her  that  she  had  not  the  slightest 
attention  left  to  bestow  upon  her  husband,  who,  in 
fact,  did  not  demand  such  attention  ;  for  scarce  had 
the  door  closed  behind  the  servant  when,  with  an 
expression  of  utter  weariness,  he  sank  upon  a 
fauteuil. 

"This  eternal  parade  and  ceremony  is  really 
killing!  Do  you  not  find  it  so,  Eugenie?  Since 
yesterday  noon  they  have  not  allowed  us  a  minute's 
peace !  First  the  marriage,  then  the  dinner,  then 
that  awfully  tiresome  rail  and  extra  post-chaise 
journey,  which  took  all  night  and  the  next  forenoon ; 
then  that  tragic  interlude  ;  here  again  receptions, 
introduction  to  officers,  dinner.  My  papa,  when  he 
sketched  the  programme  of  these  festivities,  seems 
not  at  all  to  have  thought  that  we  possessed  any 
such  thing  as  nerves.  Mine,  I  confess,  are  all 
unstrung." 

The  young  wife  turned  her  head  and  threw  a  very 
contemptuous  glance  upon  the  man  who,  at  this 
their  first  solitary  interview,  spoke  to  her  of  his 
nerves.  Eugenie  seemed  not  at  all  acquainted  with 
this  malady.  Her  beautiful  face  wore  not  the 
slightest  trace  of  exhaustion. 


30  GOOD  LUCK 

"Have  you  heard  whether  young  Hartmann's 
wound  is  dangerous  ?"  she  asked,  instead  of  answer- 
ing her  husband. 

Arthur  seemed  surprised  that  no  notice  was  taken 
of  his  exceptionally  long  speech. 

"  Schaffer  says  it  is  not  of  much  account,"  replied 
he  indifferently.  "  He  has,  I  believe,  spoken  with 
the  physician.  And  now  it  occurs  to  me,  we  must 
make  the  young  man  some  recompense.  I  will  have 
the  director  see  about  it." 

"  Ought  you  not  to  attend  to  the  matter  per- 
sonally ?" 

u  I  ?  No,  spare  me  that !  As  I  incidentally  hear, 
he  is  not  a  common  workman,  but  the  son  of  the 
overseer  of  the  mines — a  master-miner  or  something 
of  that  sort.  How  can  I  know  whether  money  or 
a  present  would  be  most  in  place  here  ?  The  direct- 
or will  arrange  all  this  in  the  best  manner." 

He  let  his  head  sink  still  further  back  upon  the 
cushions.  Eugenie  made  no  reply.  She  sat  down 
on  the  sofa  and  rested  her  head  upon  her  hand. 
After  a  pause  of  some  minutes  it  seemed  to  occur 
to  Arthur  that  he  owed  his  wife  some  attention,  and 
that  he  could  not  with  propriety  during  the  whole 
tea-hour  bury  himself  in  his  fauteuil.  It  cost  him 
some  effort  certainly,  but  he  made  the  sacrifice  and 
really  arose.  Sitting  down  by  his  wife's  side,  he 
allowed  himself  to  clasp  her  hand,  and  even  went 
so  far  as  to  try  to  place  his  arm  around  her  waist ; 
but  it  remained  only  an  effort.  With  a  passionate 
gesture  Eugenie  withdrew  her  hand  and  turned  from 


GOOD  LUCK.  31 

him.  At  the  same  time  she  gave  him  that  very 
glance  which  had  so  deeply  wounded  his  father  in 
the  church  at  his  first  embrace  of  his  daughter-in- 
law.  It  was  the  same  expression  of  icy,  proud 
repulsion  which,  better  than  words,  said  :  "  I  am 
unapproachable  for  thee  and  thine !" 

It  appeared  far  more  easy  to  impress  the  father 
with  this  aristocratic  manner  than  the  son,  perhaps 
because  the  son  no  longer  allowed  himself  to  be 
impressed  by  anything.  He -looked  neither  con- 
founded nor  intimidated  at  this  token  of  an  only  too 
plainly  expressed  aversion :  still,  somewhat  aston- 
ished he  asked : 

"Is  this  disagreeable  to  you,  Eugenie  ?" 

"  Unusual,  at  least!  You  have  hitherto  spared 
me  all  this." 

The  young  man  was  much  too  apathetic  to  com- 
prehend the  deep  bitterness  of  these  words:  he 
appeared  to  take  them  as  a  sort  of  reproach. 

" 'Ilitlierto  f  Yes,  etiquette  was  somewhat  strictly 
enforced  in  your  father's  house.  During  our  two 
months  engagement  I  never  once  had  the  happiness 
of  seeing  you  alone.  The  constant  presence  of  your 
father  or  brothers  placed  a  constraint  upon  us  which 
at  the  present  undisturbed  interview  may  well  be 
removed." 

Eugenie  again  drew  back  and  in  the  iciest  tone 
said: 

"  Let  me  declare  to  you,  at  this  the  first  hour  we 
have  been  left  to  ourselves,  that  I  have  no  liking 
for  expressions  of  fondness  given  because  custom 


32  GOOD  LUCK. 

demands  them  and  in  which  the  heart  has  no  share. 
I  for  all  time  release  you  from  this  obligation." 

Astonishment  was  still  more  vividly  impressed 
upon  Arthur's  features,  yet  he  did  not  allow  him- 
self to  be  excited. 

"  You  seem  to  be  in  a  strange  mood  to-day,"  he 
said.  "Custom — heart!  Really,  Eugenie,  I  be- 
lieved that  with  you,  least  of  all,  one  need  have  fear 
of  romantic  illusions." 

An  expression  of  'intense  bitterness  passed  over 
the  young  bride's  features. 

"  I  renounced  all  my  youthful  illusions  the  moment 
I  promised  you  my  hand.  You  and  your  father— 
you  would  at  any  cost  connect  your  name  with  the 
noble  old  name  of  Windeg,  and  thereby  force 
entrance  into  circles  hitherto  strictly  closed  to  you. 
Well,  now  you  have  won  your  goal.  My  name  is 
Eugenie  Berkow  /" 

She  laid  an  infinitely  scornful  emphasis  upon  that 
last  word.  Arthur  had  risen.  He  seemed  at  length 
to  comprehend  that  here  there  was  something  more 
to  deal  with  than  the  ill-humor  of  a  young  wife, 
called  forth,  perhaps,  by  his  neglect  on  the  journey. 

"You  certainly  do  not  appear  to  love  this  name 
much !  I  had  not  supposed  that  compulsion  on  the 
part  of  your  family  had  led  you  to  take  it,  but  now 
it  seems  to  me " 

"No  one.  compelled  me,"  interrupted  Eugenie 
emphatically.  "No  one  used  over-persuasion. 
What  I  did  was  of  my  own  free  will,  with  the  full 
consciousness  of  what  I  was  taking  upon  myself. 


GOOD  LUCK.  33 

It  was  bitter  enough  for  my  family  to  have  me  make 
this  sacrifice  for  them." 

Arthur  shrugged  his  shoulders.  His  face  showed 
that  the  conversation  already  began  to  weary  him. 

"I  do  not  understand  why  you  take  a  simple 
family  arrangement  so  tragically.  If  my  father  in 
this  matter  had  ulterior  plans  in  view,  the  baron's 
motives  were  certainly  of  a  no  more  romantic 
nature;  only  he  might  presumably  have  more 
pressing  reasons  for  the  conclusion  of  an  engagement 
in  which  he  certainly  was  not  the  losing  party." 

Eugenie  started  up,  her  eyes  flashed*,  and  with  a 
passionate  movement  sho  threw  the  fragrant  bouquet 
from  the  table  to  the  floor. 

"And  you  dare  say  this  to  me  after  what  hap- 
pened before  your  wooing?  I  believe  that  you 
must  blush  at  this  if  you  really  were  capable  of 
blushing !" 

The  dull,  half -veiled  eyes  of  the  young  man 
suddenly  opened  wide :  under  their  ashes  there 
glowed  something  like  fire,  but  his  voice  retained 
its  languid,  indifferent  tone. 

"I  must  beg  you  to  speak  more  plainly.  I 
cannot  understand  your  enigmatical  words." 

Eugenie,  with  a  passionate  gesture,  crossed  her 
arms :  her  breast  rose  and  fell  in  stormy  emotion. 

"  You  know  as  well  as  I,"  she  said,  "  that  we 
stood  on  the  brink  of  ruin  !  As  to  whom  we  owed 
this,  I  cannot  and  must  not  judge.  It  is  easy  to 
fling  stones  at  the  man  who  is  struggling  \vith 
destiny.  If  one  inherits  his  family  estates  encuin- 


34  GOOD  LUCK. 

bered,  if  he  must  uphold  the  luster  of  an  ancient 
name,  maintain  his  position  in  the  world,  and  secure 
the  future  of  his  children,  he  cannot  heap  up  wealth 
like  the  Berkows  in  their  plebeian  gains.  You 
have  squandered  money  from  full  hands ;  you  have 
had  every  wish  fulfilled,  every  caprice  gratified.  I 
have  tasted  the  whole  misery  of  a  life  which  feigns, 
and  must  feign,  outward  splendor  to  the  world, 
while  every  day,  every  hour,  brings  it  nearer  to  in- 
evitable ruin.  Perhaps  we  might  still  have  escaped 
if  we  had  not  fallen  into  your  father's  net.  He 
from  the  first  pressed  his  assistance  upon  us,  urged 
it  so  persistently  that  at  last  he  had  all  in  his 
hands,  and  we,  hunted,  entangled,  despairing,  knew 
no  way  of  escape.  Then  he  carne  and  demanded 
my  hand  for  his  son  as  the  only  price  of  rescue.  My 
father  would  rather  have  borne  the  utmost  than 
sacrifice  me ;  but  I  would  not  see  him  sacrificed, 
forced  from  his  career ;  I  would  not  destroy  the 
future  of  my  brothers  and  see  our  name  dishonored  ; 
and  so  I  gave  ray  consent.  What  it  cost  me  no  one 
of  my  family  will  ever  know ;  but  if  I  sold  myself 
I  can  answer  for  it  to  God  and  my  own  conscience. 
You  who  submitted  to  be  a  tool  in  carrying  out  the 
ignoble  plans  of  your  father — you  have  no  right  to 
reproach  me  :  my  motives  were  at  least  more  hon- 
orable than  yours." 

She  was  silent,  overpowered  by  excitement.  Her 
husband  still  stood  motionless  before  her.  His  face 
again  showed  the  slight  paleness  it  had  worn  at 
mid-day  as  he  had  just  been  rescued  from  danger, 
but  the  eyes  were  again  veiled. 


GOOD  LUCK.  35 

"  I  regret  that  you  did  not  make  these  expla- 
nations before  our  marriage,"  he  said  slowly. 

"Wherefore?" 

"  Because  you  would  then  have  been  saved  from 
the  humiliation  of  being  called  Eugenie  Berkow." 

The  young  wife  was  silent. 

"  I  had  indeed  no  suspicion  of  these  manipulations 
of  my  father,"  continued  Arthur,  "  as  I  am  accus- 
tomed to  keep  myself  entirely  aloof  from  his  busi- 
ness affairs.  He  said  to  me  one  day  that  if  I  would 
go  to  Baron  Windeg  and  sue  for  his  daughter's 
hand  my  proposal  would  be  accepted.  I  consented 
to  the  arrangement  and  went  through  with  the  for- 
mality of  an  introduction,  followed  in  a  few  days  by 
a  betrothal.  That  is  my  share  in  the  matter." 

Eugenie  turned  away  her  head. 

"  I  would  have  preferred  an  open  confession  of 
your  joint  knowledge  of  the  transaction  to  this 
fable,"  returned  she  coldly. 

Again  the  young  man's  eyes  opened,  and  again 
glimmered  in  them  that  strange  spark,  which 
seemed  about  to  burst  into  flame  and  yet  was 
stifled  by  the  ashes. 

"  And  I  stand  so  high  in  the  estimation  of  my 
wife  that  she  cannot  even  believe  my  word  ?"  said 
he,  this  time  with  a  decided  touch  of  bitterness. 

Eugenie's  beautiful  face,  which  she  now  turned  to 
her  husband,  wore  an  expression  of  the  deepest 
scorn,  and  the  same  expression  was  in  her  voice  as 
she  replied : 

"You  must   forgive  me,   Arthur,  if  I  place  no 


36  GOOD  LUCK. 

great  confidence  in  you.  From  that  day  when  you 
for  the  first  time  entered  our  house,  and  for  a  pur- 
pose of  which  I  am  only  too  well  aware,  until  now, 
I  have  only  known  you  from  the  speech  of  the 
Residence,  and  this  -  " 

"  Painted  my  picture  in  no  flattering  way  !  I  can 
imagine  that.  Will  you  have  the  goodness  to  tell 
me  what  the  Residence  was  really  pleased  to  say 
about  me  ?" 

The  young  wife  fixed  her  large  eyes  reproachfully 
upon  her  husband's  face. 

"  They  said  that  Arthur  Berkow  indulged  in  a 
princely  expenditure,  squandered  thousands  upon 
thousands  to  purchase  the  society  and  friendship  of 
the  young  nobility,  and  thereby  make  the  world 
forget  his  plebeian  birth.  They  said  that  in  the 
wild,  unbridled  life  of  a  certain  circle  his  life  was 
wildest  and  most  unbridled  of  all.  What  else  they 
said  about  him  does  not  lie  within  the  range  of  a 
woman's  criticism." 

Arthurs  hand,  still  resting  on  the  arm  of  the 
fauteuil  against  which  he  leaned,  had  during  these 
last  words  involuntarily  clutched  at  the  velvet  up- 
holstery. 

"  And  you  naturally  do  not  deem  it  worth  your 
while  to  attempt  the  reformation  of  a  reprobate 
over  whom  public  opinion  has  already  broken  its 
staff?" 


It  rang  icy  cold,  this  no.  A  slight  quiver 
passed  overthe  young  man's  face,  but  he  quickly 
subdued  it. 


GOOD  LUCK.  37 

"  You  are  more  than  open-hearted !  Yet  it  is 
always  a  good  thing  to  know  how  people  stand  in 
relation  to  each  other ;  and  as  we  now  stand  so  we 
must  remain.  The  step  taken  yesterday  cannot  be 
recalled,  at  least  not  immediately,  without  exposing 
us  both  to  ridicule.  If  you  provoked  this  scene  to 
show  me  that  I,  in  spite  of  the  plebeian  presump- 
tion which  won  your  hand  by  force,  must  keep 
myself  as  far  as  possible  aloof  from  the  Baroness 
Windeg — and  I  fear  this  alone  was  your  intention 
— you  have  won  your  goal;  but" — here  Arthur 
again  relapsed  into  his  old  drawling,  blase  tone — 
"  but  I  beg  you  let  this  be  the  first  and  last  of 
that  sort  of  thing  between  us.  I  detest  all  kinds  of 
scenes ;  my  nerves  cannot  endure  them ;  and  life 
may  be  regulated  so  as  to  avoid  these  unnecessary 
echauffements.  For  the  present,  I  believe  I  best 
carry  out  your  wishes  by  leaving  you  alone.  You 
will  excuse  me  if  I  withdraw." 

He  took  the  silver  candlestick  which  stood  lighted 
upon  the  table  and  left  the  room,  but  outside  he 
paused  a  moment  and  turned  back  his  head.  The 
spark  now  more  than  glimmered  in  the  young  man's 
eyes ;  it  flamed  luridly,  but  only  for  a  moment ; 
then  all  again  became  void  and  dead.  But  the 
candle  flickered  as  he  walked  through  the  anteroom  : 
was  it  from  the  draught  or  because  the  hand  that 
held  it  trembled  ? 

Eugenie  remained  alone,  and  a  deep  sigh  of  relief 
escaped  her  breast  as  the  door  closed  behind  her 
husband.  She  had  attained  her  wish.  As,  after  this 


38  GOOD  LUCK. 

scene,  she  felt  a  need  of  the  open  air,  she  stepped 
to  the  balcony,  drew  aside  the  curtain,  and  half- 
opening  the  window  gazed  out  into  the  partially 
overcast,  but  balmy  spring  night.  The  stars  glim- 
mered faintly  through  the  light  veil-like  clouds 
which  covered  the  whole  sky,  while  the  contours 
of  the  landscape,  already  enveloped  in  shadows, 
were  scarce  distinguishable.  From  the  terrace 
arose  the  perfume  of  flowers  and  the  light  mur- 
mur of  a  fountain.  Over  all  lay  deep  repose  and 
peace — over  all  but  the  heart  of  the  young  wife 
up  there  who  to-day  for  the  first  time  had  crossed 
the  threshold  of  her  new  home. 

It  was  now  at  an  end — the  dumb,  anguished 
struggle  of  the  last  two  months ;  and  she  had  borne 
up  through  all.  To  heroic  natures  there  is  always 
something  great  in  the  thought  of  sacrificing  their 
whole  future  for  others — in  purchasing  freedom,  in 
giving  themselves  an  offering  to  inexorable  destiny 
for  those  they  love.  But  now  when  the  sacrifice 
was  consummated,  when  its  object  was  achieved, 
when  there  was  nothing  more  for  which  to  struggle, 
nothing  more  to  overcome,  the  romantic  illusion 
with  which  Eugenie  had  hitherto  surrounded  her 
filial  love  was  dispelled,  and  the  terrible  emptiness 
and  dreariness  of  the  life  before  her  opened  to  her 
view. 

On  the  soft,  odorous  breathings  of  this  spring 
night  arose  again  the  long-restrained  anguish  cry 
of  this  young  girl  who  had  demanded  her  full  share 
in  the  happiness  and  love  of  life  and  had  been  so 


GOOD  LVCK  39 

cruelly  defrauded  of  all.  She  was  young  and 
beautiful — more  beautiful  than  so  many  other  more 
fortunate  ones.  She  was  from  an  old,  noble  race  ; 
and  the  daughter  of  the  Windegs  had  ever  adorned 
the  hero  of  her  youthful  dreams  with  all  the  shining, 
chivalrous  qualities  of  her  ancestors.  That  he 
must  be  her  equal  in  name  and  rank  was  self- 
evident  ;  and  now 

Had  the  husband  forced  upon  her  acceptance 
possessed  that  character  and  energy  she  most  prized 
in  man,  she  might  perhaps  have  forgiven  his  ple- 
beian birth ;  but  this  weakling,  whom  she  had  de- 
spised even  before  she  knew  him  ! 

Why,  the  insults  she  had  deliberately  and  inten- 
tionally hurled  at  him,  and  which  would  have  made 
any  other  man  beside  himself,  had  not  for  a  mo- 
ment roused  him  from  his  stolid  indifference.  Even 
the  bitterest  expressions  of  her  contempt  had  only 
for  one  brief  instant  awakened  him  from  his  apathy. 
And  to-day  noon,  in  the  danger  which  had  threat- 
ened them  both,  he  had  not  so  much  as  lifted  his 
hand  to  rescue  himself  or  her.  Another,  a  stranger, 
must  fling  himself  before  the  raging  horses  and 
curb  them  at  the  risk  of  his  own  life. 

Before  Eugenie's  sight  arose  the  image  of  that 
young  man  with  the  scornful  blue  eyes  and  the 
bleeding  forehead.  Her  husband  did  not  even  know 
whether  the  wound  was  dangerous  or  perhaps  mor- 
tal ;  and  yet  both  he  and  she  would  have  been  lost 
but  for  that  energetic,  lightning-winged  deed. 

The  young  wife  sank  into  a  chair  and  buried  her 


40  GOOD  LUCK. 

face  in  both  hands.  All  through  which  in  thes-r 
last  months  she  had  fought  and  suffered  pressed 
with  tenfold  weight  upon  her  soul,  and  found  ex 
pression  in  this  one  wild,  despairing  cry  :  "  Oh,  my 
God,  my  God  !  How  shall  I  endure  this  life?" 


GOOD  LUCK  41 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE  very  extensive  Berkow  mines  lay  at  some 
distance  from  the  capital  and  in  a  remote  part  of 
the  province.  There  was  little  attractive  about  this 
region.  For  miles  around  lay  wooded  hills  and 
mountains,  the  monotonous  dark  green  of  the  firs 
covering  vale  and  upland  alike ;  and  here  and  there 
was  a  village  or  hamlet,  a  farm  or  country-seat. 

The  soil  was  of  small  account :  its  treasures  lay 
buried  within  the  earth ;  and  all  the  life  and  ac- 
tivity here  centered  around  the  Berkow  mines, 
whence  in  prodigal  abundance  these  treasures  were 
brought  up  to  the  light  of  day. 

The  Berkow  possessions  lay  solitary  and  quite 
cut  off  from  the  business  marts,  the  nearest  town 
being  some  hours  distant ;  but  these  giant  and  com- 
plex mining  interests  had  of  themselves  called  into 
existence  a  town  in  the  midst  of  this  wooded  valley. 
Hither  had  been  summoned  all  those  aids  which  in- 
dustry and  science  could  afford,  all  that  the  power 
of  machinery  or  the  strength  of  human  hands  could 
offer,  to  wrest  their  wealth  from  the  malicious 
spirits  of  the  mountains.  A  great  retinue  of  officers, 
machinists,  inspectors,  and  overseers  followed  the 
lead  of  the  director-in-chief  and  formed  a  colony  of 
themselves ;  while  the  workmen,  numbering  several 
thousands,  dwelt  in  the  adjoining  villages. 


42  GOOD  LUCK:. 

This  business,  which  the  proprietor  had  from 
small  beginnings  expanded  to  its  present  magni- 
tude, seemed  almost  too  great  for  the  means  of  a 
private  citizen,  and  was,  indeed,  carried  on  only  by 
the  most  colossal  expenditure.  It  was  by  far  the 
greatest  mining  interest  in  the  province,  and  in 
large  measure  controlled  all  other  industries  of  the 
kind.  This  colony,  with  its  boundless  outlays  in 
machinery  and  wages,  with  its  business  and  dwell- 
ing houses,  its  officers  and  workmen,  was  in  a  cer- 
tain sense  a  state  in  itself,  and  its  owner  as  much  a 
sovereign  as  the  ruler  of  a  small  principality. 

It  seemed  strange  that  a  man  who  stood  at  the 
head  of  such  vast  concerns  should  always  be  denied 
the  honor  of  a  title — that  honor  for  which  beyond 
all  others  he  strove,  and  which  is  bestowed  upon 
many  who  do  far  less  for  the  industry  of  their  coun- 
try ;  but  here,  as  everywhere,  when  the  decision 
comes  from  those  highest  in  authority,  the  charac- 
ter and  personality  of  the  aspirant  were  called  in 
question  ;  and  Berkow  did  not  possess  the  sympathy 
of  the  government.  There  were  many  dark  spots 
in  his  past  life  which  his  wealth  might,  indeed, 
partially  efface,  but  could  not  wholly  obliterate. 

He  had  certainly  never  come  in  conflict  with  the 
laws,  but  often  enough  he  had  gone  to  the  utmost 
limit  the  law  allows.  His  transactions  in  the  prov- 
ince, vast  as  was  their  magnitude,  were  in  many 
respects  not  such  as  honest  men  would  care  to  imi- 
tate. There  was  much  talk  of  a  system  of  un- 
principled speculations,  calculated  only  to  enhance 


GOOD  LUCK.  43 

the  wealth  of  the  proprietor  and  having  no  regard 
to  the  weal  or  woe  of  the  workmen.  There  were 
also  rumors  of  the  irresponsible  tyranny  of  the 
officers  and  the  increasing  discontent  of  the  miners ; 
but  the  colony  was  too  distant  for  the  reports  to  be 
verified,  and  they  remained  mere  rumor.  One 
thing,  however,  was  certain  :  these  mines  continued 
to  be  an  inexhaustible  fountain  of  wealth  for  their 
owner. 

It  must  be  confessed  that  the  persistence  and  in- 
dustrial genius  of  this  man  were  at  least  as  great  as 
his  lack  of  principle.  From  the  humblest  circum- 
stances, borne  upward  on  the  wave  of  life  and  then 
dashed  down,  he  had  once  more  risen,  and  had  at 
last  succeeded  in  reaching  those  sunny  heights 
where  he  had  for  years  held  his  undisputed  place 
of  millionaire. 

For  the  last  few  years  Fortune  had  proved  his 
steadfast  friend.  Often  as  he  had  put  her  constancy 
to  the  test,  she  had  remained  true  ;  and  whether  he 
dealt  with  moderate  ventures  or  embarked  in  the 
most  daring  speculations,  all  he  touched  seemed  to 
turn  to  gold. 

Berkow  had  earjy  become  a  widower  and  had 
contracted  no  second  marriage.  His  restless  char- 
acter, his  ivild  passion  for  gain,  had  little  in  com- 
mon with  a  domestic  life  :  such  a  life  he  had  always 
felt  a  fetter  rather  than  a  solace.  His  only  son  and 
heir  had  grown  up  in  the  Residence.  No  pains  or 
expense  had  been  spared  in  his  education.  He  had 
had  private  teachers  in  all  branches,  a  university 


44  GOOL  LUCK. 

course,  and  much  foreign  travel,  but  nothing  had 
been  done  to  qualify  him  for  his  future  career  as 
chief  and  director  of  a  great  industrial  establish- 
ment. Mr.  Arthur  showed  a  decided  aversion  to 
learning  anything  beyond  the  absolute  require- 
ments of  fashionable  culture,  and  the  father  had 
been  much  too  weak  and  too  vain  to  Insist  on  a 
more  serious  or  deeper  education  than  that  which 
would  fit  his  son  to  play  a  brilliant  role  in  society. 
For  the  attainment  of  this  goal  he  cheerfully 
lavished  thousands.  He  knew  that  in  an  extremity 
Arthur  would  always  find  enough  capable  officers, 
whose  mechanical  and  business  services  could  be 
bought  with  money,  and  why  need  the  young  man 
trouble  himself  to  learn  such  things  ? 

And  so  the  elder  Berkow,  who  lived  alternately 
at  the  Residence  and  upon  his  estates,  took  upon 
himself  the  entire  business  management,  while  the 
son,  who  scarce  visited  the  mines  once  a  year,  was 
during  his  brief  sojourn  always  ennuyed  to  death. 

The  weather  thus  far  had  not  been  propitious  to 
the  newly  wedded  pair.  The  sun  had  seldom  shone 
this  spring,  but  at  last,  after  a  long  succession  of 
rainy  days,  he  came  out  as  if  to  greet  the  Sabbath. 
The  shafts  were  empty,  the  works  deserted ;  but 
despite  the  Sudnay  rest  and  the  laughing  sunshine, 
something  of  the  melancholy,  constrained  atmos- 
phere of  this  region  seemed  to  rest  upon  the  whole 
colony. 

In  all  these  numerous  business  and  dwelling 
houses,  not  the  slightest  idea  of  beauty  or  of  the 


GOOD  LUCK.  45 

comfort  of  their  inmates  was  visible.  They  had 
been  built  solely  for  use.  But  that  this  sense  of 
beauty  was  not  wanting  in  the  proprietor,  his  own 
country-house  gave  ample  proof.  It  stood  at  some 
little  distance  from  the  works,  on  a  magnificent 
site,  with  a  full  view  of  the  wooded  hills  and  dis- 
tant mountains.  Outside  and  in,  this  dwelling  was 
adorned  with  more  than  princely  luxury,  and  with 
its  balconies,  terraces,  and  flower-gardens  lay  like 
an  oasis  full  of  perfume  and  poesy  in  the  midst  of 
this  domain  of  industry. 

The  small  house  of  Overseer  Hartmann  stood 
midway  between  the  mansion  house  and  the  mines 
and  its  aspect  showed  that  its  owner  enjoyed  a  most 
favorable  position.  Hartmann,  when  a  young,  ac- 
tive miner,  had  married  a  girl  in  the  service  of  Frau 
Berkow  and  an  especial  favorite  of  her  mistress. 

After  her  marriage  the  young  wife  remained  more 
or  less  in  her  old  relations  to  the  family,  and  in  con- 
sequence her  husband  received  many  favors,  being 
advanced  from  post  to  post,  until  at  last  he  was 
appointed  under-overseer.  These  relations  and  the 
favors  also  had  ceased  after  the  lady's  death,  for 
Herr  Berkow  was  not  a  man  to  give  himself  much 
trouble  about  any  former  member  of  his  household. 
Hartmann's  wife  died  soon  after,  and  there  was  no 
more  intimacy  at  the  master's  house ;  but  during 
these  years  the  overseer  had  formed  a  strong  attach- 
ment to  the  Berkow  family,  and  he  was  allowed  to 
keep  the  easy  position  he  had  then  attained — a  po- 
sition in  which  he  had  no  personal  experience  of  the 
usual  hard  work  and  poor  pay  of  the  miners. 


46  GOOD  LUCK. 

He  had  some  years  ago  adopted  Martha  Ewers, 
the  orphan  daughter  of  his  sister.  Martha  kept  his 
house,  but  his  secret  wish  that  she  and  his  son 
should  marry  seemed  to  have  no  prospect  of  fulfill- 
ment. 

On  this  Sunday  morning  the  once  quiet  little 
house  was  the  theater  of  a  rather  exciting  scene, 
such  as  had  got  to  be  of  no  rare  occurrence  between 
this  father  and  son.  The  overseer,  standing  in  the 
center  of  the  small  sitting-room,  was  very  excited ly 
talking  to  Ulrich,  who  had  just  returned  from  the 
director's,  and  now,  silent  and  morose,  leaned  against 
the  door,  while  Martha,  standing  a  little  aside,  gazed 
at  both  with  an  anxiety  she  could  not  conceal.  ' 

"  Have  I  lived  to  see  this  ?''  cried  the  overseer. 
"  Have  you  not  enemies  enough  among  the  gentle- 
men over  there  already  but  }7ou  must  needs  offend 
them  still  more  ?  Our  proprietor  offers  you  a  sum 
large  enough  to  found  a  household  of  }Tour  own,  and 
you,  stubborn  fellow,  without  the  least  hesitation 
say  no!  But  what  do  you  care,  indeed,  about  a 
household  or  any  such  thing  ?  What  do  you  think 
about  ever  taking  a  wife  ?  Whenever  you  come 
from  work, your  head  is  stuck  in  a  newspaper ;  and 
half  the  night  through  you  sit  over  your  books  and 
stuff  your  brains  full  of  all  that  new-fashioned  stuff 
an  honest  miner  has  no  need  to  know  his  whole  life 
long.  Among  your  comrades  you  play  the  master  ; 
so  that  next  thing  they  will  be  asking  no  longer  the 
Herr  Director,  but  Herr  Ulrich  Hartmann,  wnat 
must  be  done  upon  the  works.  And  if  they  should 


GOOD  LUCK.  47 

chance  to  be  reminded  that  you  were  once  only  a 
common  miner,  then  they  would  speak  of  this  re- 
ward and  bring  the  whole  story  again  to  the  remem- 
brance of  our  superiors.  I  should  think  if  ever  a 
man  honorably  earned  money  it  was  you  in  this 
affair !» 

Ulrich,  who  had  hitherto  listened  in  silence,  now 
stamped  angrily. 

"  But  I  tell  you  I  will  accept  nothing  from  that 
set  over  there.  I  have  declared  to  you  that  I  want 
no  reward,  will  receive  none,  for  my  so-called  act 
of  heroism  they  are  making  such  a  fuss  about ;  and 
I  stand  by  my  wrord." 

The  old  man  started  up  anew,  and  was  just  about 
to  give  his  son  another  and  more  angry  lecture 
when  Martha  stepped  between. 

"  Let  him  be,  uncle,"  she  said  :  "  he  is  right." 

The  overseer,  quite  disconcerted  by  these  unex 
pected  words,  looked  at  her  with  open  mouth. 

"  Ah !  he  is  right  ?"  repeated  he  angrily.  "  Well 
I  might  suppose  that  you  would  again  take  his  part.' 

"  Ulrich  cannot  bear  to  have  this  offer  made 
through  the  director  and  without  other  acknowl- 
edgment." continued  the  girl  decidedly,  "  and  it  is 
not  at  all  the  proper  way.  If  Herr  Berkow  had 
only  himself  spoken  a  word  of  thanks  or  something 
of  the  kind ;  but  really  he  gives  himself  no  trouble 
about  anything  in  the  world.  He  always  looks  as 
if  he  had  just  wakened  from  sleep,  and  as  if  it  gave 
him  a  painful  effort  even  to  look  at  one  ;  and  if  he 
really  does  not  sleep  he  lies  all  day  on  his  sofa  and 
stares  up  at  the  ceiling " 


48  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Leave  the  young  gentleman  alone  !"  interrupted 
the  overseer  hastily.  "  His  father  is  responsible  for 
all.  In  childhood  he  allowed  him  his  own  way  and 
was  pleased  even  with  his  naughtiness.  Every  day 
he  would  tell  the  boy  how  rich  he  was  going  to  be 
and  drive  away  tutors  and  servants  if  Arthur  did 
not  agree  with  them.  As  he  grew  up  he  must  asso- 
ciate with  counts  and  barons  ;  money  was  given  him 
in  heaps  ;  and  the  wilder  he  was  the  better  his  father 
was  pleased.  Certainly  such  a  young  fellow  must 
lose  some  of  his  goodness  of  heart.  And  Arthur 
was  good  :  I  hold  fast  to  that.  How  often  when  a 
little  fellow  did  he  ride  upon  my  knee  !  He  had  a 
heart  too.  After  his  mother  died  and  they  were 
about  to  take  him  to  the  city,  I  remember  how  he 
hung  about  my  neck  and,  weeping  bitterly,  begged 
not  to  be  sent  away. 

"  Herr  Berkow  flattered  him  and  promised  him 
ever  so  many  fine  things  when  they  got  out  into  the 
great  world ;  but  I  had  to  carry  him  to  the  coach. 
After  he  had  been  in  the  city  awhile  with  bonnes 
and  tutors  all  this  was  over ;  but  the  next  time  I 
met  him  he  shook  hands  with  me.  Then  he  grew 
colder  and  more  aristocratic,  and  now—  An  ex- 
pression of  pain  passed  over  the  old  man's  face,  but 
he  shook  otf  this  weakness.  "Well,  in  the  long 
run  it  will  all  be  the  same  to  me,  but  I  cannot  bear 
that  you,  Martha,  at  every  opportunity  should  go 
on  in  this  way  about  our  young  gentleman.  Ulrich, 
as  we  know,  has  a  real  hatred  against  him.  But 
supposing  that  obstinate  boy  there  had  been  left  to 


GOOD  LUCK.  49 

have  his  own  way  and  some  hundred  thousands 
besides,  we  may  well  imagine  what  he  would  have 
made." 

"  Perhaps  something  worse,  father,  but  certainly 
not  such  a  weakling  as  he,"  replied  Ulrich  bitterly. 
"  You  may  rely  upon  that." 

The  conversation,  which  threatened  to  take  an 
unpleasant  turn,  now  happily  ended.  There  was  a 
knock  at  the  outside  door,  and  directly  after  entered 
a  servant  in  the  rich  but  somewhat  over-ornamented 
liverv  of  the  Berkow  house. 

"  Good-day  !"  he  said  to  the  overseer.  "  My  lady 
sends  me  on  an  errand  to  your  Ulrich.  Ah  !  there 
you  are,  Hartmann.  Her  ladyship  wishes  to  speak 
with  you — this  evening,  at  seven  precisely,  I  am  to 
introduce  you  to  her." 

"  Me  /" 

"  Ulrich  r 

Both  exclamations  came  with  equal  surprise  from 
the  lips  of  the  overseer  and  his  son,  while  Martha, 
just  as  astonished,  gazed  at  the  servant,  who  indif- 
ferently added : 

"  It  must  be  something  the  director  is  concerned 
in,  Hartmann.  Yery  early  this  morning  he  was 
with  our  lady,  who  is  not  in  the  habit  of  troubling 
her  husband  about  business  matters,  and  right  away 
after  I  was  dispatched  to  you,  although  we  really 
have  enough  to  do  to-day.  All  the  officers  are  in- 
vited to  dine,  and  I  don't  know  how  many  are 
coming  from  the  city  to  pay  their  respects — but  I 
haven't  a  moment's  time.  Be  punctual — at  seven, 
after  dinner," 


50  GOOD  LUCK. 

The  man  gave  a  hasty  nod  as  his  parting  saluta- 
tion and  hurried  away. 

"  Now  we  are  in  for  it !"  exclaimed  the  overseer 
angrily.  "  All  this  has  something  to  do  with  your 
senseless  refusal.  Now  see  how  you  will  arrange 
matters  with  them !" 

"  Will  you  go,  Ulrich  ?"  asked  Martha,  with  a 
quick,  eager  expression. 

"  What  are  you  thinking  of,  girl  ?"  replied  the 
uncle.  "  Do  you  imagine  he  could  say  '  No '  when 
her  ladyship  summoned  him  ?" 

Martha  did  not  notice  the  interruption.  She  ap- 
proached her  cousin  and  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm. 

"  Will  you  go  ?"  she  repeated  softly. 

Ulrich  stood  there,  gazing  morosely  at  the  floor, 
as  if  in  conflict  with  himself.  All  at  once  he  pas- 
sionately threw  back  his  head. 

"Certainly  I  will.  I  want  to  know  what  her 
ladyship  may  be  pleased  to  want  of  me,  when  for  a 
whole  week  she  has  not  even  given  herself  the 
trouble  to  inquire ' 

He  paused  suddenly,  as  if  he  had  already  said  too 
much.  Martha's  hand  had  glided  down  from  his 
arm  and  she  stepped  back,  but  the  overseer  said 
with  a  sigh  : 

"  Now  God  help  us  if  you  are  going  over  there  ! 
Unluckily  old  Berkow  came  home  last  evening.  If 
you  have  a  talk  together,  then  you  will  no  longer 
be  a  master-miner  here  and  I  no  longer  overseer.  I 
know  the  man." 

A  scornful  expression  played  around  the  young 
man's  lips. 


GOOD  LUCK.  51 

{i  Be  calm,  father !  You  know  too  well  how 
much  you  depend  upon  the  Berkows  and  how  much 
need  that  untaught  son  may  have  of  you,  for  he 
will  never  submit  to  taking  the  control  here.  The}r 
will  have  no  other  in  your  place,  and  I " — here, 
with  scornful  self-consciousness,  Ulrich  drew  him- 
self up  to  his  full  height — "I,  before  all  others, 
shall  remain  here.  They  dare  not  send  me  away  : 
they  fear  me  too  much." 

He  turned  his  back  to  his  father,  flung  open  the 
door,  and  went  out  into  the  open  air.  The  over- 
seer clasped  his  hands  and  seemed  inclined  to  give 
his  rebellious  son  another  severe  lecture,  but  he  was 
prevented  by  Martha,  who  anew,  and  this  time 
much  more  decidedly,  took  Ulrich's  part.  Weary 
of  contention,  the  old  man  at  last  took  his  pipe  and 
was  about  to  leave  the  house. 

"  Listen,  Martha,"  he  said,  turning  at  the  door : 
"  I  see  you  think  no  obstinacy  so  great  as  his,  but 
there  is  yet  one  which  surpasses  it.  You  have 
found  your  master  in  Ulrich,  and  he  will  also  find 
his  master,  so  true  as  my  name  is  Gotthold  Hart- 
mann." 

Up  at  the  country-house  all  were  busied  in  prep- 
arations for  the  great  dinner.  The  servants  ran 
upstairs  and  downstairs;  in  the  work-rooms  bustled 
around  cooks  and  maid-servants  ;  everywhere  there 
was  something  to  change  or  to  arrange ;  and  the 
whole  house  showed  that  picture  of  restless  activity 
usual  in  preparing  for  a  feast. 

So   much   the  more   profound   was  the  stillness 


52  GOOD  LUCK. 

which  ruled  in  the  apartments  of  young  Berko\\\ 
The  curtains  were  closely  drawn,  the  portieres 
closed,  and  in  the  adjoining  room,  with  noiseless 
step,  a  servant  glided  up  and  down  over  the  thick 
carpet,  arranging  this  and  that.  His  master, 
above  all  things,  liked  to  lie  the  greater  portion  of 
the  day,  lazily  dreaming,  upon  the  sofa,  and  would 
not  be  disturbed  by  the  slightest  sound. 

The  young  heir,  with  half-closed  eyes,  lay  out- 
stretched upon  a  sofa.  He  held  a  book  in  his  hand, 
in  which  he  read,  or  at  least  seemed  to  have  been 
reading,  although  for  quite  a  whi,j  the  same  page 
had  lain  open  before  him.  Apparently  it  cost  him 
too  much  effort  to  turn  the  leaves,  and  now  the 
carelessly  held  volume  slipped  out  of  the  small 
white  hands  upon  the  carpet.  J '  would  have  been 
but  slight  effort  to  bend  forward  and  pick  up  the 
book,  still  slighter  to  call  the  servant  to  do  this ; 
but  neither  effort  was  made.  The  book  remained 
lying  upon  the  carpet,  and  for  the  next  quarter  of 
an  hour  Arthur  did  not  make  the  least  motion,  but 
his  face  plainly  showed  that  he  was  neither  think- 
ing over  his  reading  nor  lost  in  dreams:  he  was 
simply  ennuyed. 

A  rather  reckless  opening  of  the  door  which  led 
from  the  corridor  into  the  adjoining  room  and  a 
loud,  domineering  voice  made  a  speedy  end  of  this 
most  interesting  employment.  In  entering  the 
ahteroom  old  Berkow  asked  if  his  son  was  within, 
and  receiving  an  affirmative  answer  he  dismissed 
the  servant,  shoved  back  the  portiere^  and  stepped 


GOOD  LUCK.  53 

up  to  Arthur.  His  face  was  flushed,  either  with  vexa- 
tion or  anger,  and  the  cloud  which  already  lay  upon 
his  forehead  grew  darker  at  sight  of  Arthur. 

"  Are  you  really  here,  lying  upon  this  sofa,  just 
as  you  lay  three  hours  ago  ?" 

Arthur  seemed  not  to  be  accustomed  to  show  his 
father  even  the  outward  forms  of  respect.  He  had 
not  taken  the  least  notice  of  his  entrance,  and  now 
it  did  not  occur  to  him  to  change  his  negligent 
position  in  the  least. 

The  furrows  upon  the  father's  brow  grew  still 
deeper. 

"  Your  apathy  and  laziness  really  begin  to  be 
past  all  conception !  It  is  more  vexatious  here 
than  in  the  Residence.  I  thought  you  would  pay 
some  small  regard  to  my  wishes,  at  least  take  some 
share  in  carrying  forward  the  arrangements  I  was 
making  on  your  account,  but — 

"  My  God,  papa !"  interrupted  the  young  man, 
"do  you  really  ask  me  to  trouble  myself  about 
workmen,  machines,  and  such  things  2  I  have 
never  done  it,  and  I  really  cannot  understand  why 
you  have  sent  us  here.  I  am  ennuyed  to  death  in 
this  desert." 

The  words  indeed  showed  the  deepest  ennui,  but 
they  had  none  the  less  the  tone  of  the  spoiled 
darling  son  who  had  been  wont  to  see  his  whims 
regarded  at  all  times  and  in  all  places,  and  who  took 
even  the  least  hint  of  any  discomfort  as  an  offense. 
But  something  must  have  happened  to  enrage  the 
father,  for  this  time  he  was  not  yielding  as  usual. 


54  GOOD  LUCK. 

"I  am  accustomed  to  see  you  ennuyed  in  all 
places  and  under  all  circumstances,  while  I  alone 
must  bear  all  the  care  and  burden.  Just  now  I  am 
beset  on  every  side.  Your  expenses  in  the  capital 
have  at  last  begun  to  go  beyond  even  my  means. 
To  release  the  Windegs  from  their  obligations  has 
cost  me  dear  enough,  and  here  I  find  nothing  but 
endless  trouble  and  vexation.  I  have  this  morning 
had  a  conference  with  the  director  and  the  higher 
officers,  and  am  compelled  to  hear  complaints  and 
nothing  but  complaints.  Extensive  repairs  are  de- 
manded in  the  mines — better  wages,  new  buildings  : 
nonsense !  As  if  I  had  time  and  money  for  all 
this !" 

Arthur  listened  unsympathetically,  as  usual.  If 
his  face  expressed  anything  at  all,  it  was  the  wish 
that  his  father  would  go  away.  But  this  did  not 
happen.  He  began  to  walk  excitedly  up  and  down 
the  room. 

"  Trust  to  one's  officers  and  their  advice  !  For 
half  a  year  I  have  not  been  here  personally,  and  all 
is  going  to  rack  and  ruin.  They  speak  of  secret 
conspiracies  among  the  workmen,  of  grave  symp- 
toms, of  threatening  danger  ;  as  if  they  had  not  full 
power  to  draw  the  reins  as  tightly  as  possible.  Be- 
fore all,  a  certain  Hartmann  is  pointed  out  to  me  as 
rebel-in-chief,  who  among  his  comrades  passes  for 
a  new  sort  of  Messiah  and  secretly  throws  all  the 
works  into  insurrection,  and  when  I  ask  why  they 
did  not  send  him  away  long  ago,  what  do  I  receive 
for  my  answer  ?  They  dare  not !  There  is  no  fault 


GOOD  LUCK.  55 

to  be  found  with  his  work  and  his  comrades  cling 
to  him  with  blind  idolatry  :  there  would  be  a  revo- 
lution in  the  works  if  he  were  sent  away.  I  took 
the  liberty  to  inform  the  gentlemen  that  they  were 
all  cowards  and  that  I  would  take  the  matter  into 
my  own  hands.  The  mines  remain  as  they  were 
and  the  wages  will  not  be  raised  one  iota.  The 
slightest  insubordination  will  be  met  with  the  utmost 
severity,  and  this  head  mutineer  I  will  myself  dis- 
miss this  very  day." 

"  You  cannot  do  that,  papa,"  said  Arthur  hastily 
and  half-rising  from  his  seat. 

"  And  why  not  ?"  asked  Berkow  in  great  surprise. 

"  Because  it  was  this  very  Hartmann  who  caught 
our  horses  and  saved  our  lives." 

Berkow  gave  a  repressed  exclamation  of  anger. 

"  And  must  it  really  be  this  man  ?  Certainly  he 
cannot  be  sent  away  without  some  further  reason  : 
we  must  wait  for  an  excuse.  Besides,  Arthur  " — 
and  here  he  glanced  frowningly  at  his  son — "  it  was 
rather  vexatious  that  I  had  first  to  hear  of  this  acci- 
dent through  strangers.  You  did  not  think  it  worth 
your  while  to  write  me  even  a  word  about  it." 

"  Why  should  I  ?"  The  young  man  wearily  rest- 
ed his  head  upon  his  hand.  "  The  thing  all  turned 
out  fortunately,  and  besides,  they  almost  over- 
whelmed us  with  expressions  of  sympathy,  congrat- 
ulations, questions,  and  orations  over  the  matter.  I 
do  not  think  life  worth  enough  to  make  such  an  ado 
about  its  rescue." 

"  Is  that  your  honest  opinion  ?"  asked  the  father, 


5tf  GOOD  LUCK. 

with  a  fixed  gaze  upon  his  son's  face.  "  I  thought 
you  had  been  married  only  the  day  before." 

Arthur  did  not  answer :  he  only  yawned.  Ber- 
kow's  eyes  fastened  themselves  still  more  search- 
ingly  upon  his  son's  face. 

"To  come  to  the  point,  what  is  the  trouble 
between  you  and  your  wife  ?"  he  asked  quickly, 
bluntly,  and  without  the  least  circumlocution. 

"  Between  me  and  my  wife  ?"  repeated  Arthur, 
as  if  he  just  began  to  comprehend  the  drift  of 
the  conversation. 

"  Yes,  between  you  two.  I  thought  to  surprise  a 
young  married  pair  in  the  first  week  of  their 
honeymoon,  and  I  find  a  state  of  things  here  of 
which  I  certainly  did  not  dream.  You  ride  alone  ; 
you  drive  out  alone;  neither  of  you  enters  the 
other's  apartments.  You  evidently  avoid  each 
other,  and  when  you  meet  you  do  not  speak  half  a 
dozen  words.  What  does  all  this  mean  ?" 

The  young  man  had  risen  and  now  stood  opposite 
his  father,  but  he  still  retained  his  sleepy  air. 

"You  show  a  wonderful  knowledge  of  details, 
papa,  which  you  could  not  possibly  have  gained 
from  our  half-hours  interview  }^esterday  evening. 
Have  you  been  questioning  the  servants  ?" 

"Arthur!"  Berkow  would  have  flown  into  a 
passion,  but  his  usual  deference  to  his  son  allowed 
him  to  overlook  this  rudeness.  He  kept  his  temper 
under  full  control. 

"  Here,  it  seems,  they  are  not  accustomed  to  the 
aristocratic  mode  of  life,"  continued  Arthur  coolly. 


GOOD  LUCK  57 

"We  are  in  this  respect  particularly  aristocratic. 
And  you  love  aristocracy  so  much,  papa!" 

"  Have  done  with  this  raillery !"  said  Berkow 
impatiently.  "Is  it  with  your  free  consent  that 
your  wife  allows  herself  to  ignore  you  in  a  way  that 
is  even  now  the  talk  of  the  whole  colon}^  ?" 

"  I  give  her  the  freedom  to  do  exactly  what  I 
permit  myself." 

Berkow  sprang  passionately  from  his  chair. 

"  This  is  going  altogether  too  far.  Arthur,  you 
are » 

"  Not  like  you,  papa,"  interrupted  the  son.  "  With 
the  promissory  notes  of  her  father  in  my  hand  I 
certainly  would  have  forced  no  girl's  consent." 

The  hot  flush  in  Berkow's  face  at  once  changed 
to  ashy  paleness.  He  started  back  involuntarily  as 
he  asked  in  a  trembling  voice : 

"  What — what  do  you  mean  by  that  ?" 

Arthur  was  fully  roused  from  his  lethargy,  and 
his  eyes  had  some  life  as  he  fixed  them  on  his 
father. 

"  Baron  Windeg  was  ruined :  all  the  world  knew 
that.  Who  had  ruined  him  ?" 

"  Do  /  know  ?"  asked  Berkow  sneeringly.  "  His 
extravagances,  his  desire  to  play  the  great  hereditary 
gentleman  when  he  was  head  over  ears  in  debt. 
He  would  have  been  lost  without  my  help." 

"  Keally  ?  And  did  you  follow  no  plan  in  offering 
this  help  ?  Was  not  this  alternative  placed  before 
the  baron — to  give  up  his  daughter  or  be  driven  to 
extremities  ?  Did  he  decide  upon  this  union  of  his 
own  free  will  C 


58  GOOD  LUCK. 

Berkow  laughed  constrainedly. 

"Naturally!  "Who  has  told  that  it  was  other- 
wise 3" 

But  despite  the  confident  tone  his  glance  sank.  The 
man  had  perhaps  never  yet  cast  down  his  eyes  when 
accused  of  an  unprincipled  act :  here,  before  his  son, 
he  did  it.  An  expression  almost  of  bitterness  passed 
over  the  young  man's  listless  features :  if  he  had 
hitherto  cherished  a  doubt,  now  he  knew. 

After  a  momentary  pause  Arthur  resumed  the 
conversation. 

"  You  know  that  I  never  was  inclined  to  mar- 
riage ;  that  I  only  yielded  to  your  persistent  urging. 
I  was  indifferent  to  Eugenie  Windeg,  as  to  all 
others ;  I  did  not  even  know  her  ;  but  I  took  her 
own  and  her  father's  consent,  aware  that  she  would 
not  be  the  first  who  had  sacrificed  freely  an  old 
name  for  riches.  It  did  not  please  you  to  tell  me 
what  passed  before  my  betrothal  or  what  followed 
it.  From  Eugenie's  lips  I  first  heard  of  the  business 
arrangement  you  had  made  for  us  both.  We  will 
let  that  rest;  the  thing  is  done  and  cannot  be 
undone ;  but  you  will  now  well  understand  why  I 
decline  to  expose  myself  to  new  humiliations.  I 
have  no  desire  to  stand  a  second  time  before  my 
wife  as  upon  that  evening  when  she  flung  the  full 
weight  of  her  scorn  against  me  and  my  father,  and 
I — had  to  be  silent." 

Berkow,  who  had  stood  by  silent  and  with  half- 
averted  gaze,  at  these  last  words  quickly  turned 
and  measured  his  son  with  an  astonished  glance. 


GOOD  LUCE.  59 

"I  did  not  believe  that  anything  could  enrage 
you  to  such  a  degree,"  he  said  slowly. 

"  Enrage  me  ?  You  are  in  error.  There  was  no 
such  thing  as  getting  enraged  between  us.  My 
wife  from  the  first  placed  herself  so  high  upon  the 
pedestal  of  her  exalted  virtues  and  her  aristocratic 
birth  tha.t  I,  who  in  both  these  respects  was  un- 
worthy to  stand  before  her,  could  only  admire  her 
from  a  respectful  distance.  Seriously,  I  advise  you 
to  do  the  same  if  you  should  once  in  a  while  chance 
to  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  her  company." 

With  contemptuous  indifference  he  again  threw 
himself  on  the  sofa,  but  in  his  scorn  there  was  a 
deep  exasperation  Berkow  had  never  before  re- 
marked in  him.  The  father  felt  too  painfully  the 
role  he  had  played  in  this  wily  transaction  in  behalf 
of  his  son,  and  wished  to  dismiss  the  subject  as  soon 
as  possible. 

"  We  will  speak  of  this  at  a  more  convenient 
time,"  he  said,  drawing  out  his  watch.  "  Let  it  rest 
to-day.  There  are  still  two  hours  before  the  arrival 
of  our  guests.  I  must  drive  out  to  the  upper  works. 
Will  you  not  accompany  me  ?" 

"No,"  replied  Arthur,  again  relapsing  into  his 
wonted  indolence. 

Berkow  made  no  attempt  to  urge  his  son.  The 
refusal  just  now  gratified  him.  He  turned  and 
went,  leaving  the  young  man  to  silence  and  apathy. 

Outdoors  the  first  sunny  spring  day  smiled  down 
on  the  earth  ;  the  hills  breathed  forth  incense  ;  the 
forests  glowed  in  the  splendor  of  the  sunbeams;  but 


60  GOOD  LUCK. 

there  lay  Arthur  Berkow,  in  that  half-darkened 
room,  with  drawn  curtains  and  closed  doors,  as  if 
he  alone,  of  all  living  things,  was  not  created  for 
the  free  mountain  air  and  the  golden  sunshine.  The 
air  was  too  rough  for  him  ;  the  sun  too  bright ;  the 
prospect  dazzled  him  ;  a  ramble  outdoors  would  have 
made  him  inexpressibly  nervous  and  exhausted. 
The  young  heir,  at  whose  command  stood  all  this 
world  and  life  can  give,  felt  to-day,  as  he  often  had 
felt  before,  that  this  world  and  this  life  were  hor- 
ribly empty  and  dreary — that  it  was  really  not 
worth  the  while  to  have  been  born. 


GOOD  LUCK.  61 


CHAPTEK  Y. 

THE  brilliant  dinner,  with  its  prodigal  magnifi- 
cence, was  at  an  end.  It  had  been  an  especial 
triumph  for  Herr  Berkow.  The  nobility  of  this 
region  were  in  the  highest  degree  exclusive,  and 
had  hitherto  never  allowed  themselves  to  enter  the 
house  of  a  parvenu  whose  doubtful  past  had  thus 
far  excluded  him  from  aristocratic  society. 

But  the  invitations  bearing  the  name  of  Eugenie 
Berkow,  nee  Baroness  Windeg,  were  accepted  on  all 
sides.  She  was  and  would  remain  the  daughter  of 
one  of  the  oldest  noble  families,  and  they  could  and 
would  not  wround  her  by  declining  the  invitation,  so 
much  the  less  as  what  had  forced  her  to  this  mar- 
riage was  no  secret. 

But  if  they  met  the  young  wife  with  the  fullest 
respect  and  sympathy,  they  could  not  possibly  be 
otherwise  than  polite  to  her  father-in-law,  in  whose 
house  the  entertainment  was  given.  And  they  were 
polite  to  him.  Barkow  was  triumphant;  he  well 
knew  that  this  was  only  the  prelude  to  what  must 
next  winter  be  repeated  in  the  Residence.  They 
certainly  would  not  drop  the  Baroness  Windeg 
from  their  circle,  because  she  had  sacrificed  herself 
out  of  love  for  her  father ;  they  would  as  formerly 


62  GOOD  LUCK. 

regard  her  their  equal  in  birth,  in  spite  of  the  ple< 
beian  name  she  now  bore.  And  so  far  as  this  name 
was  concerned,  the  goal  so  ardently  longed  for  he 
hoped  lay  not  far  distant. 

If  the  ambitious  millionaire  felt  himself  newly 
indebted  to  his  daughter-in-law,  although  she  had 
to-day  more  than  ever  put  on  the  airs  of  a  princess 
and  remained  wholly  unapproachable  to  him  and 
his  circle,  on  the  other  side  the  behavior  of  his  son 
had  as  much  surprised  as  vexed  him.  Arthur,  who 
had  moved  exclusively  in  aristocratic  circles,  now 
seemed  all  at  once  to  have  lost  his  taste  for  this 
kind  of  society.  He  had  treated  his  distinguished 
guests  with  such  an  icy  politeness,  maintaining  even 
toward  the  officers  of  the  garrison,  with  whom  dur- 
ing his  residence  here  he  had  always  been  on  a  most 
intimate  footing,  such  an  intentional  reserve  that  he 
more  than  once  passed  those  bounds  which  a  host 
cannot  allow  himself  to  pass  without  giving  offense. 
Berkow  did  not  understand  this  new  mood.  What 
could  his  son  mean  ?  Did  he  design  to  offend  his 
wife  by  this  almost  scornful  neglect  of  her  guests  ? 

The  gentlemen  and  ladies  from  the  town  had 
been  obliged  to  leave  early,  as  the  long-continued 
rains  had  rendered  the  drive  of  several  miles  scarce 
safe  after  dark.  Their  departure  gave  the  lady  of 
the  house  liberty  to  withdraw,  a  privilege  of  which 
she  at  once  availed  herself.  Leaving  the  reception- 
rooms,  she  went  to  her  own  apartments,  while 
her  husband  and  father-in-law  remained  with  the 
gueste. 


GOOD  LUCK.  63 

At  the  appointed  hour  Ulrich  Hartmann  appeared. 
Since  his  early  childhood,  since  with  the  death  of 
Frau  Berkow  the  connection  of  his  parents  with  her 
house  had  ceased,  he  had  not  entered  it.  For  the 
workmen,  the  country-seat  of  their  chief,  with  its 
terraces  and  gardens,  was  a  closed  Eldorado,  which 
only  the  officers  might  enter  now  and  then,  when 
summoned  by  especially  important  business  or  on 
invitation.  The  young  man  strode  through  the 
lofty  vestibule,  richly  adorned  with  blooming  plants, 
up  the  carpeted  stairs,  and  through  the  brilliantly 
lighted  corridors,  until  in  the  last  the  messenger  of 
the  morning  met  him  and  showed  him  into  one  of 
the  apartments.  "  Her  ladyship  will  soon  appear," 
he  said,  and  closing  the  door  behind  him  left  Ulrich 
alone. 

It  was  a  large,  richly  decorated  anteroom,  the 
beginning  of  a  suit  of  state  apartments,  which  at 
this  moment  were  quite  empty.  The  company  was 
in  the  dining-hall  opening  upon  the  garden.  But 
the  emptiness,  voidness,  and  silence  of  these  rooms 
only  made  their  magnificence  more  apparent. 
Through  all  the  wide-opened  portieres  Ulrich  could 
with  unobstructed  glance  survey  the  long  suits  of 
splendid  rooms,  each  seeming  to  surpass  the  other 
in  magnificence. 

The  heavy  dark  velvet  carpets  seemed  to  absorb 
the  light,  but  so  much  the  more  brightly  it  played 
around  the  silk  and  satin  covering  of  the  furniture, 
the  richly  gilded  ornamentation  of  the  doors  and 
windows,  upon  the  mirrors,  reaching  to  the  ceiling, 


64  GOOD  L  UCE. 

which  reflected  it  in  flashing  rays;  so  much  the 
more  brilliantly  did  it  illuminate  the  paintings, 
statues,  and  vases  which  in  costly  and  lavish  profu- 
sion adorned  these  rooms.  All  that  wealth  and 
taste  could  give  was  gathered  here  in  a  fullness  of 
beauty  and  splendor  that  might  well  dazzle  an  eye 
accustomed  to  the  dark  labyrinths  of  the  mines. 

But  this  magnificence,  which  certainly  would 
have  bewildered  any  of  his  comrades,  failed  to  make 
the  slightest  impression  upon  Ulrich.  His  eyes, 
indeed,  glanced  sullenly  over  the  brilliant  apart- 
ments, but  no  admiration  beamed  from  them.  As 
if  he  would  quarrel  with  every  one  of  the  costly 
things,  he  surveyed  them  all,  then  suddenly,  as  if 
in  flaming  hatred,  he  turned  his  back  upon  the 
whole  suit  of  rooms,  stamping  violently  in  his  im- 
patience that  no  one  yet  appeared.  Ulrich  Hart- 
mann  evidently  was  not  the  man  to  wait  patiently 
in  antechambers  until  some  one  condescended  to 
receive  him. 

At  last  there  was  a  rustling  behind  him.  He 
turned  and  started  back  involuntarily,  for  a  few 
steps  from  him,  under  the  chandelier,  stood  Eugenie 
Berkow.  He  had  seen  "her  only  once,  when  he  bore 
her  from  the  carriage:  she  was  then  in  a  simple 
traveling-dress  of  dark  silk,  while  her  face  was 
half-thrown  in  shadow  by  riding-hat  and  veil ;  and 
from  this  meeting  he  had  taken  but  one  remem 
brance — the  large,  dark  eyes  which  had  been  so 
steadfastly  fixed  upon  his  face.  This  figure  before 
him  was  quite  another  from  any  that  had  ever  ap- 


GOOD  LUCK.  65 

peared  to  the  young  man's  sight.  Rare,  delicate 
lace  fell  in  light  ripples  over  the  white  silk  dress, 
which  like  a  silvery  cloud  enveloped  the  tall,  slender 
form.  Here  and  there  lay  white  roses  amid  the 
airy  woof,  and  a  wreath  of  roses  was  twined  in  the 
rich  blond  hair,  whose  pale  glitter  seemed  to  vie 
with  the  luster  of  the  pearls  which  adorned  the 
lovely  neck  and  arms. 

The  full  glow  of  the  wax  candles  poured  a  flood 
of  light  over  the  beautiful  apparition,  which 
seemed  created  for  the  gorgeous  flame  of  these  sur- 
roundings. And  there  the  young  bride  stood  before 
the  miner,  LTlrich  Hartmann,  as  if  nothing  of  the 
common,  working,  e very-day  world  could  come  in 
contact  with  her.  But  vividly  as  her  whole  appear- 
ance indicated  the  aristocratic  salon  daine,  in  which 
role  she  had  appeared  before  her  guests,  her  eyes 
betra\red  that  she  could  be  something  better  as  in 
undisguised  satisfaction  the\T  rested  upon  the  young 
man  whom  she  now  approached  with  a  cordial, 
friendly  air. 

"I  am  glad  you  answered  my  summons.  I 
wished  to  speak  with  you — to  explain  a  misunder- 
standing. Please  follow  me." 

She  opened  a  side  door  and  entered  an  adjoining 
room.  Ulrich  followed.  It  was  her  own  parlor, 
which  lay  between  her  chamber  and  the  reception- 
rooms;  but  what  a  contrast  it  bore  to  them  !  Here 
the  pale  subdued  light  of  the  lamp  floated  over  the 
delicate  blue  of  the  walls  and  the  silk  upholstery; 
soft  carpets  deadened  every  foot-fall ;  flower  per- 
fumes, delicate  and  sweet,  pervaded  all  the  air. 


66  GOOD  LUCK. 

Ulrich,  as  if  spell-bound,  paused  upon  the  thresh- 
old. He  felt  no  timidity  ;  but  things  here  were  so 
different  from  what  they  had  been  in  the  glittering 
state  apartments — so  much  more  beautiful,  so 
dreamily  silent.  He  could  not  recall  the  hatred 
with  which  he  had  gazed  upon  the  magnificence 
outside.  Instead  of  this,  other  emotions  swayed 
him — emotions  he  had  never  before  experienced  and 
to  which  he  could  give  no  name,  but  they  were  in 
unison  with  these  new  surroundings. 

And  yet  at  this  very  moment  a  passionate  tide  of 
anger  passed  over  him.  He  drew  back  instinctively, 
as  from  some  scarce-defined  danger,  and  his  whole 
nature  rose  in  dumb,  deadly  hostility  against  this 
atmosphere  of  beauty  and  perfume  with  its  enticing 
spell.  Eugenie  had  remained  standing,  as  with 
some  surprise  she  remarked  that  the  young  miner 
did  not  follow  her.  She  now  sank  down  on  a  lounge 
near  the  door,  while  her  eyes  critically  scanned  his 
face.  The  curling  blond  hair  quite  covered  the 
fresh  scar,  but  the  wound,  which  for  any  other 
would  have  been  dangerous,  had  scarce  been  able  to 
affect  this  robust  nature.  Eugenie  vainly  sought  in 
his  features  a  trace  of  recent  suffering.  Still,  her 
first  question  was  in  relation  to  the  injury. 

"  Have  you  fully  recovered  ?"  she  asked.  "  Does 
the  wound  really  give  you  no  more  pain  ?" 

"  No,  my  lady :  it  was  not  worth  mentioning." 

Eugenie  seemed  not  to  have  noticed  the  short, 
bitter  tone  of  the  answer.  Kindly  as  at  first  she 
continued : 


GOOD  LUCK  67 

"  I  heard  the  very  next  day  from  the  physician 
that  there  was  no  danger,  otherwise  we  should  have 
shown  greater  anxiety  for  you.  After  his  second 
visit  to  you  the  doctor  repeatedly  assured  me  that 
there  was  nothing  to  fear,  and  Herr  Wilberg,  who 
on  the  evening  of  that  eventful  day  I  sent  to  you, 
brought  me  the  same  intelligence." 

At  the  first  words  Ulrich  had  lifted  his  eyes  and 
looked  fixedly  at  her ;  his  gloomy  forehead  slowly 
cleared  and  his  voice  had  a  milder  tone  as  he  at 
length  answered : 

"  I  did  not  know  that  you  had  troubled  yourself 
so  much,  gracious  lady.  Herr  Wilberg  did  not  tell 
me  that  he  came  from  you,  or -" 

"  Or  you  would  have  received  him  more  kindly," 
added  Eugenie  with  a  light  tone  of  reproach.  "  He 
complained  of  your  rudeness  to  him  that  evening, 
and  still  he  was  full  of  sympathy  for  you,  and  with 
the  most  friendly  satisfaction  offered  to  obtain  for 
me  the  desired  intelligence.  What  have  you  against 
Herr  Wilberg  ?" 

"  Nothing.  But  he  plays  the  guitar  and  makes 
verses." 

Eugenie  laughed  involuntarily  at  this  rather 
singular,  but  still  exhaustive  description  of  the 
blond  young  officer. 

"  That  seems  to  be  no  especial  recommendation 
in  your  eyes,"  said  she  half-jestingly ;  "  but  I  be- 
lieve that  even  you  might  be  guilty  of  such  things 
if  you  held  Herr  Wil berg's  place  in  life.  But  let 
that  pass.  It  was  for  something  else  I  sent  for  you. 


68 «  GOOD  LUCK.. 

As  I  hear" — the  young  woman,  somewhat  embar- 
rassed, played  with  her  fan — "  as  I  hear  from  the 
director,  you  have  rejected  the  token  of  our  thanks 
we  proposed  to  offer  you." 

"  Yes  /"  declared  Ulrich  sullenly,  without  soften- 
ing the  roughness  of  this  "  yes  "  by  a  single  word. 

"  I  regret  if  the  offering  or  the  manner  of  mak- 
ing it  has  offended  you.  Herr  Berkow" — a  slight 
blush  overspread  Eugenie's  face  as  she  uttered  this 
falsehood — "Herr  Berkow  certainly  intended  to 
express  to  you  personally  his  thanks  and  my  own, 
but  he  was  prevented  and  chose  the  director  to  rep- 
resent him.  It  would  deeply  grieve  me  if  you  saw 
in  this  any  ingratitude  on  our  side  toward  the  pre- 
server of  our  lives.  We  both  know  how  deeply  we 
are  indebted  to  you,  and  you  could  not  refuse  if  I 
begged  you  to  accept  from  my  hands — 

Ulrich  started  up.  The  first  words  had  softened 
him,  but  the  last  spoiled  all.  His  face  became  white 
and  in  reckless  passion  he  exclaimed  : 

"  No  more  of  this,  lady  !  If  you  offer  me  a  re- 
ward, even  YOU,  I  shall  wish  I  had  let  the  carriage 
and  all  within  it  go  to  destruction!" 

Eugenie  started  back  at  this  sudden  outbreak  of 
that  unrestrained  savagery  which  had  made  IJlrich 
Hartmann  feared  throughout  the  works.  Such  a 
tone  and  glance  had  never  before  come  near  the 
daughter  of  Baron  Windeg.  She  replied  in  an 
offended  tone  : 

"  I  would  not  press  my  thanks  upon  you.  If.  the 
expression  of  them  is  so  unpleasant  to  you,  I  regret 
having  sent  for  you." 


GOOD  LUCK.  69 

She  turned  and  made  a  motion  as  if  to  leave  the 
room,  and  this  brought  Ulrich  to  his  senses.  He 
made  a  hasty  step  toward  her. 

"  Gracious  lady — I — forgive  me !  I  would  not  do 
harm  to  you  /" 

There  lay  in  the  outcry  such  sudden,  passionate 
remorse  that  Eugenie  paused  and  gazed  at  him  in 
great  perplexity,  as  if  in  his  face  she  sought  some 
clew  to  the  character  of  this  enigmatical  being,  but 
the  wild  entreaty  had  disarmed  her  anger. 

"  Not  to  me  f"  repeated  she.  "  Is  it,  then,  in- 
different to  you  that  you  wound  others  by  your 
rudeness — the  director,  for  instance,  and  Herr 
Wilberg?" 

"  Yes  /"  returned  Ulrich  sullenly — "  as  indifferent 
as  they  would  be  toward  me.  There  can  be  no  talk 
of  friendship  between  the  officers  and  me." 

"  Can  there  not  ?"  asked  Eugenie  in  surprise.  "  I 
did  not  know  that  the  relations  here  between  offi- 
cers and  workmen  were  so  unpleasant ;  and  Herr 
Berkow  seems  to  have  no  suspicion  of  it,  otherwise 
he  would  act  as  arbitrator  between  you." 

"  Herr  Berkow,"  said  Ulrich  cuttingly,  "  has  for 
twenty  years  done  everything  possible  for  the 
works,  but  nothing  for  the  workmen,  and  this  has 
gone  on  so  long  that  we  are  beginning  to  take 
affairs  into  our  own  hands  ;  and  then — ah,  my  lady, 
I  quite  forgot  that  you  are  the  wife  of  his  son. 
Pardon  me." 

The  young  woman  was  silent,  almost  confounded 
at  this  hard,  reckless  candor.  What  she  now  heard 


70  GOOD  LUCK. 

was  indeed  nothing  other  than  she  had  now  and 
then  incidentally  heard  of  her  father-in-law ;  but 
the  terrible  bitterness  in  the  words  taught  her  the 
whole  depth  of  the  gulf  which  lay  between  him 
and  his  underlings.  Whoever  complained  of  Herr 
Berkow  could  be  sure  of  the  sympathy  of  his 
daughter-in-law.  She  had  herself  the  bitterest 
proof  of  this  man's  utter  want  of  principle,  but 
the  wife  of  his  son  must  not,  even  by  gesture,  be- 
tray this.  She  must  seem  not  to  have  heard  the 
remark  or  reprove  it.  She  preferred  the  former. 

"  And  so  you  will  receive  no  token  of  recognition 
from  my  hands?"  she  asked,  turning  quickly  from 
this  dangerous  subject  to  the  former  topic.  "  Well, 
then,  it  only  remains  for  me  to  express  my  thanks 
to  the  man  whose  hand  rescued  me  from  certain 
death.  Will  you  also  reject  this?  I  thank  you, 
Hartmann !" 

She  reached  him  her  hand.  It  was  only  a  few 
seconds  that  this  hand,  white  and  delicate  as  a  rose- 
leaf,  lay  in  the  rough,  toil-hardened  fist  of  the  miner, 
but  the  light  touch  seemed  to  strangely  thrill  him. 
All  the  bitterness  vanished  from  his  features,  the 
malignity  from  his  glance ;  the  scornful  head,  the 
stiff  neck,  bowed ;  and  he  bent  over  the  lady's  hand 
with  an  expression  of  mildness  and  compliance  none 
of  his  superiors  could  boast  of  ever  having  seen  in 
Ulrich  Hartmann. 

"  Ah,  you  are  giving  audience,  Eugenie,  and  to 
one  of  our  miners,"  said  Berkow's  voice  behind 
them  as  he  at  this  moment  entered  with  his  son. 


GOOD  LUCK.  71 

Eugenie  drew  back  her  hand,  and  Ulrich  quickly 
rose  to  his  full  height.  It  needed  only  this  voice  to 
bring  back  to  his  manner  its  dumb  hostility,  and 
this  was  but  increased  when  Arthur,  with  a  sharp- 
ness in  strange  contrast  with  his  usual  languid  tone, 
asked : 

"  Hartmann,  how  came  you  here  ?" 

"  Hartmann !"  repeated  Berkow  as  he  caught  the 
name  and  drew  a  step  nearer.  "  Ah !  so  we  have 
here  our  Sir  Agitator,  who " 

"  Curbed  our  frightened  horses  and  in  so  doing 
received  a  wound  while  he  saved  our  lives,"  inter- 
rupted Eugenie  calmly  but  emphatically. 

"Ah!  is  that  so?"  exclaimed  Berkow,  embar- 
rassed as  much  through  this  reminder  as  by  the 
very  decided  tone  of  his  daughter-in-law.  <§  Ah,  in- 
deed !  I  had  heard  of  this  already,  and  the  director 
also  told  me  that  you  and  Arthur  had  rewarded 
him.  The  young  man  is  here,  I  suppose,  to  return 
thanks  for  his  present.  Were  you  satisfied,  Hart- 
mann ?" 

The  cloud  upon  Ulrich's  forehead  grew  threaten- 
ing, and  the  reply  which  trembled  on  his  lips  might 
have  had  the  heaviest  consequences  for  him  ;  but 
Eugenie  stepped  nearer  her  protege,  and  giving  him 
a  warning  look  touched  lightly  his  arm  with  her 
fan.  He  understood  the  warning;  he  looked  at  her, 
saw  the  expression  of  unconcealed  anxiety  in  her 
eyes,  and  spite  and  hate  again  sank  powerless  as  he 
calmly,  almost  coldly,  replied  : 

"  Certainly,  Herr  Berkow.  I  am  content  with 
my  lady's  thanks." 


?2  GOOD  LUCK 

"That  delights  me,"  returned  Berkow  curtly. 
Ulrich  turned  to  Eugenie  : 

"  I  may  now  go,  gracious  lady  ?" 

She  bowed  her  head  in  silent  acquiescence.  She 
saw  only  too  well  with  what  effort  this  obstinate 
man  controlled  his  anger.  A  nod  to  the  chief  and 
his  son — a  nod  in  which  haughty  restraint  was 
plainly  visible — and  the  young  man  left  the  room. 

"  Well,  we  must  confess,  Eugenie,  that  your  pro- 
tege has  not  much  affability,"  remarked  Berkow 
sneeringly.  "  He  left  without  ceremony,  without 
even  waiting  for  permission.  But  where,  indeed, 
should  such  people  learn  manners  ?  Arthur,  you 
seem  to  regard  this  Hartmann  as  an  especial  curi- 
osity. Have  you  gazed  at  him  long  enough  ?" 

Arthur  had  indeed  kept  his  glance  fixed  upon  the 
retreating  form,  and  now  gazed  at  the  door  which 
had  closed  behind  him.  The  young  man's  brows 
were  contracted,  his  lips  compressed  ;  but  at  his 
father's  question  he  turned  around. 

Berkow,  with  great  urbanity,  approached  his 
daughter-in-law. 

"  I  regret,  Eugenie,  that  your  ignorance  of  exist- 
ing circumstances  has  allowed  you  to  go  too  far  in 
your  condescension.  You  could  naturally  have  no 
suspicion  of  the  role  this  fellow  plays  among  his 
comrades,  but  he  must  in  no  event  enter  this  house, 
and  least  of  all  your  parlor,  even  under  the  pre- 
tense of  returning  thanks  for  gifts  received." 

The  voung  woman  had  seated   herself,  but  her 

wi 

face  wore  an  expression  which  made  her  father-in- 


GOOD  LUCK.  73 

law  deem  it  inadvisable  to  take  his  place  by  her 
side,  as  he  had  at  first  intended.  He  remained 
standing  opposite  her.  She  allowed  him  to  admire 
her  only  from  a  distance. 

"I  see  they  have  told  you  only  half  the  story. 
May  I  ask  when  you  last  spoke  with  the  director?" 

"This  morning;  and  he  told  me  that  he  was 
about  to  take  to  Hartmann  a  sum  which  I  think 
quite  too  large.  Why,  it  will  be  a  fortune  for  such 
people!  But  I  set  no  limitations  before  you  and 
Arthur,  if  you  really  believe  in  this  extravagant 
way  of  expressing  your  gratitude." 

"  And  do  you  not  know  that  the  young  man  has 
rejected  the  whole  sum  !" 

"  Re—ject — ed  /"  cried  Berkow,  starting  back. 

"  Possibly  because  it  offended  him  to  be  sent  a 
sum  of  money  through  a  third  person,  while  those 
he  rescued  from  death  did  not  think  it  worth  their 
while  to  offer  him  a  word  of  thanks.  I  have  tried 
to  atone  for  the  latter  incivility,  but  I  could  not 
persuade  him  to  accept  the  smallest  sura.  It  does 
not  appear  as  if  the  director  had  so  '  excellently 
arranged '  this  matter." 

Arthur  bit  his  lips.  He  knew  to  whom  these  last 
words  were  directed,  although  they  had  been 
spoken  to  his  father. 

"  It  seems,  then,  that  you  sent  for  him  of  your 
own  accord  2"  he  asked. 

"  Certainly." 

"  I  wish  you  had  not  done  this!"  said  Berkow 
excitedly.  "This  Hartmann  is  on  all  sides  rec- 


74  GOOD  LUCK. 

ognized  as  the  revolutionary  element  among  the 
workmen,  and  I  was  about  to  deal  with  him  with 
the  utmost  severity.  I  now  see  plainly  that  too 
much  has  not  been  told  me.  It  is  evident  that  this 
man  rejected  the  money  because  in  paying  it  we 
did  not  enter  into  those  extravagant  formalities  his 
pride  demands.  Yes,  he  is  capable  of  all  this.  I 
must  remind  you,  Eugenie,  that  my  daughter-in-law 
must  pay  regard  to  certain  considerations,  even 
when  she  would  give  a  proof  of  her  generosity." 

Upon  Eugenie's  haughty  lips  again  lay  that 
scornful  expression  with  which  already  she  had 
o'ften  enough  met  her  father-in-law.  The  remem- 
brance of  that  to  which  he  had  driven  her  was 
certainly  not  in  the  least  calculated  to  make  her 
accede  to  his  wishes,  and  the  anger,  newly  flaming 
up  at  this  recollection,  made  her  overlook  the 
justice  of  his  demand. 

"I  regret,  Herr  Berkow,  that  other  considera- 
tions must  still  have  weight  with  me  besides  that  of 
being  your  daughter-in-law,"  returned  she  icily. 
"  This  was  an  exceptional  case  ;  and  you  must  allow 
me  in  all  such  cases  for  the  future  to  make  my  own 
judgment  the  sole  guide  of  my  actions." 

It  was  again  every  inch  the  Baroness  Windeg 
who  sent  back  the  plebeian  millionaire  to  his 
prescribed  limits.  But  angered  past  endurance,  or 
excited  by  the  wine  he  had  taken  at  dinner,  he  did 
not  this  time  show  his  usual  unlimited  respect  to  his 
daughter-in-law.  He  replied  excitedly : 

"TCeally  !  "Well,  then,  I  must  beg  you  to  remem- 
ber  " 


GOOD  LUCK.  75 

Further  he  did  not  go,  for  Arthur,  who  had 
hitherto  remained  quietly  in  the  background,  now 
came  to  his  wife's  side  and  said  calmly  : 

"Above  all  things,  I  implore  you,  papa,  to  let 
this  troublesome  affair  rest.  I  have  given  Eugenie 
the  fullest  liberty  in  all  such  matters ;  and  I  do  not 
wish  that  any  one  should  seek  to  restrict  her  in 
this." 

Berkow  looked  at  his  son  as  if  he  had  not  heard 
aright.  He  was  accustomed  to  see  Arthur  allow  all 
events,  weighty  or  trifling,  to  pass  by  him  with  the 
same  passive  indifference,  and  he  knew  not  what  to 
think  of  this  sudden  interference. 

"  You  appear  to  be  in  a  rebellious  mood  to-day," 
he  said  sarcastically.  "  I  think  I  may  as  well  take 
flight  from  this  united  opposition,  especially  as  I 
have  business  matters  to  attend  to.  I  hope  to  find 
you  somewhat  less  quarrelsome  to-morrow,  Eugenie, 
and  my  son  rather  more  tractable  than  he  has  been 
to-day.  I  wish  you  both  a  good-evening." 

As  with  illy  repressed  rage  he  left  the  room,  Ber- 
kow had  no  suspicion  that  by  this  sudden  departure 
he  had  thrown  the  newly  married  pair  into  an 
embarrassment  they  had  not  known  since  the  even- 
ing of  their  arrival,  namely,  that  of  being  left  alone 
together.  They  had  since  then  met  only  in  the 
company  of  strangers  or  at  table  in  the  presence  of 
the  servants,  and  this  unexpected  tete-d  ttee  was  un- 
welcome to  both.  Arthur  might  well  feel  that  he 
could  not  at  once  follow  his  father  without  address- 
ing a  few  words  to  his  wife,  but  several  moments 


76  GOOD  LUCK. 

passed  before  he  could  force  himself  to  say  a  word, 
and  he  did  not  speak  until  Eugenie  said  coldly  : 

"It  was  not  necessary  for  you  to  come  to  my 
help.  I  could  very  well  alone  have  maintained  my 
independence  of  your  father." 

"  I  doubt  not  in  the  least  your  independence,"  re- 
plied Arthur  in  an  equally  cool  tone,  "  but  I  doubt 
my  father's  delicacy  of  feeling  in  regard  to  certain 
things.  He  was  just  about  to  bring  to  your  re- 
membrance some  facts  which  I  did  not  wish  you  to 
hear.  That  was  the  sole  reason  of  my  inter- 
ference." 

The  young  woman  was  silent.  She  leaned  back 
in  her  chair,  while  Arthur,  who  stood  at  the  table, 
seized  the  fan  lying  there,  and  apparently  with  the 
deepest  interest  studied  the  arabesques  upon  it. 
After  another  uncomfortable  silence  he  said  at 
length : 

"As  to  that  Hartmann  affair,  I  wonder  at  your 
self-delusion.  Such  circles  and  such  persons  must, 
of  all  others,  be  your  antipathy." 

Eugenie's  large  eyes  opened  wide,  and  in  their 
dark  depths  lay  a  world  of  contempt. 

"I  have  an  antipathy  to  weakness  and  vulgari- 
ty," she  said,  "  but  to  nothing  else.  I  respect 
every  one  who  fully  and  energetically  maintains  his 
place  in  life,  whether  upon  the  heights  or  down  in 
the  valleys." 

There  was  a  hard  tone  in  her  voice.  Arthur's 
hand  still  played  carelessly  with  the  fan,  but  there 
was  something  nervous  in  this  play  and  in  the 


GOOD  LTTCK.  77 

tremor  of  his  lips.  He  had  started  involuntarily 
when  she  spoke  of  weakness  and  vulgarity,  although 
his  face  preserved  through  all  the  most  perfect  in- 
difference. 

"A  very  exalted  sentiment,"  he  said  negligently. 
"Only  I  fear  you  would  suffer  some  disillusion 
should  you  form  nearer  acquaintance  with  that 
wild,  rough  creature  who  rules  down  there  in  the 
valley." 

"  But  this  young  miner  is  no  common  individual," 
declared  Eugenie  very  decidedly.  "  He  may  be  wild 
and  uncontrollable,  as  a  man  of  such  native  strength 
is  in  danger  of  becoming  under  untoward  circum- 
stances ;  but  rough  I  have  not  found  him." 

Unconsciously  to  herself,  her  voice  was  somewhat 
excited.  Arthur's  eyes  had  again  that  half-smoth- 
ered fire  in  their  glance  as  he  fixed  them  upon  her. 

"  You  seem  to  have  won  strange  power  over  this 
wild,  uncontrollable  strong  man,"  he  said.  "He 
was  about  to  attack  my  father ;  }rou  only  touched 
his  arm  with  your  fan,  and  the  raging  lion  became 
gentle  as  a  lamb."  The  young  man's  slender  white 
hand  here  shut  the  fan  so  violently  that  the  costly 
toy  was  in  serious  danger,  while  he  mockingly 
went  on  :  "  And  how  chivalric  was  his  manner  as  he 
bowed  over  your  hand!  If  we  had  not  come  I  be- 
lieve he  would,  like  a  true  cavalier,  have  begged  to 
kiss  that  hand." 

With  a  passionate  gesture  Eugenie  rose. 

"  I  fear,  Arthur,"  she  said,  "  that  this  man  will  ere 
long  give  you  and  your  father  something  more  than 


78  GOOD  LUGK. 

sport ;  and  I  do  not  know  but  your  father  would  do 
well  to  drive  his  underlings  into  a  yet  fiercer  op- 
position. The  consequences  might  fall  back  on 
himself." 

Her  husband  looked  at  her  with  a  quiet,  unmoved 
glance  as  she  thus  stood  before  him.  To  him  this 
rustling  silk  dress,  this  fleecy  cloud  of  lace  strewn 
with  roses,  this  glitter  of  pearls  was  nothing  new, 
any  more  than  the  beautiful  blond  head  with  the 
proud  features  and  the  dark  eyes  now  flashing  with 
anger.  Perhaps  the  lively  partisanship  she  showed 
for  her  protege  was  new  to  him.  He  still  retained 
the  careless,  mocking  tone  he  had  maintained  dur- 
ing the  whole  interview,  but  behind  this  lay  con- 
cealed something  like  raging  passion ;  and  the  fan 
met  with  sad  misfortune  in  his  hands.  The  del- 
icate, artistically  carved  ivory  was  broken  as  he 
hurled  rather  than  threw  it  on  the  floor. 

"  Did  our  '  deliverer'  give  you  a  lecture  upon 
social  matters  ?  I  regret  to  have  missed  the  lecture. 
But  at  any  rate  this  Hartmann  is  a  curiosity.  He 
has  brought  about  what  no  other  could  possibly 
have  done  :  he  has  caused  an  animated  conversation 
between  us.  But  the  interest  in  this  theme  is  now 
quite  exhausted.  Don't  you  think  so  ?" 

The  entrance  of  a  servant  with  a  message  ended 
the  conversation.  Arthur  at  once  availed  himself 
of  this  excuse  to  withdraw ;  he  parted  from  his 
wife  coldly  and  ceremoniously,  as  was  their  usual 
custom.  Hardly  had  Eugenie  found  herself  alone 
before,  in  an  excitement  she  could  not  repress,  she 


GOOD  LUCK.  79 

began  to  pace  up  and  down  the  room.  She  was 
enraged  at  the  coldness  and  heartlessness  they 
showed  toward  Ulrich's  deed,  but  it  was  not  this 
alone  which  made  her  step  so  hasty  and  drove  the 
flush  of  anger  to  her  cheeks. 

Why  could  she  never  meet  her  husband  with  that 
perfect  contempt  it  was  so  easy  to  show  to  his 
father?  Was  he  any  more  worthy  of  respect? 
There  lay  in  his  boundless  indolence  something 
which  parried  every  thrust  and  frequently  gave 
him  a  secret  superiority  to  the  proud,  passionate 
woman  who  only  too  often  allowed  temper  to  gain 
the  mastery.  It  had  been  present  in  the  deep 
humiliation  of  that  evening  when,  with  such  over- 
whelming frankness,  she  had  revealed  to  him  the 
whole  truth ;  it  had  been  present  in  that  heaviest 
offense  of  to-day  when  she  had  shown  him  how 
falsely  he  had  dealt  with  his  and  her  rescuer :  and 
both  times  he  had  met  her  in  a  manner  which 
proved  that  he  could  not  speedily  be  killed  or 
annihilated  by  contempt. 

She  would  not  acknowledge  this ;  she  would  not 
confess  it  even  to  herself — how  it  wounded  her 
that  since  that  first  explanation  he  had  not  made 
the  slightest  effort  to  dissolve  the  truly  icy  relations 
between  them  by  one  single  word.  Certainly  she 
would  have  repelled  every  such  effort  with  the  dis- 
dainful pride  always  at  her  command  ;  but  that  he 
never  gave  her  the  opportunity  to  do  this,  that  he 
never  took  the  trouble  to  go  a  step  beyond  what 
etiquette  demanded — that  enraged  her  against  her 


80  GOOD  LUCK. 

will.  Eugenie  was  a  woman  strong  in  both  her 
loves  and  hates,  and  her  aversion  to  her  husband 
was  decided  even  before  she  gave  him  her  hand  ; 
but,  like  his  father,  he  did  not  permit  her  to  look 
down  upon  him  from  an  unapproachable  height. 
The  young  wife  dimly  felt  this,  although  she  could 
give  no  reason  why  he  compelled  this  sentiment  in 
her. 

As  Arthur  was  passing  through  the  corridor  he 
met  the  director  and  the  chief  engineer,  who  both, 
having  been  detained  for  an  interview  with  Berkovv, 
were  about  to  leave  the  house.  Young  Berkow 
suddenly  paused. 

•'May  I  ask,  Herr  Director,"  he  said  sharply, 
"  why  Hartmann's  refusal  to  accept  that  money  was 
first  communicated  to  my  wife,  while  I  did  not 
hear  a  word  of  it  ?" 

"  Good  heavens!"  replied  the  director,  somewhat 
embarrassed.  "  I  did  not  know  you  thought  it  of 
any  consequence,  Herr  Berkow.  You  so  emphatic- 
ally declined  all  personal  interference  in  the  matter, 
while  her  ladyship  showed  such  interest,  that  I  be- 
lieved myself  bound " 

"  Ah !"  interrupted  Arthur,  while  there  was  a 
slight  nervous  quiver  around  his  lips.  "  "Well,  her 
ladyship's  wishes  must  certainly  be  followed  ;  but 
still  I  must  beg  you  in  such  business  matters" — he 
emphasized  that  word  business — "  not  so  fully  to 
ignore  me  as  in  this  case.  And  I  should  wish  in 
future  to  be  first  informed,  I  request  this  most 
decidedly," 


GOOD  LUCK.  81 

"With  these  words  he  left  the  nonplussed  officers 
and  went  to  his  chamber.  The  director  looked  at 
his  colleague. 

"  What  say  you  to  that  ?" 

The  chief  engineer  laughed. 

"  Signs  and  wonders  are  frequent  in  our  day. 
Ilerr  Arthur  begin  to  concern  himself  about  busi- 
ness affairs !  Herr  Arthur  demand  anything  em- 
phatically !  This  certainly  has  not  happened  before 
in  my  remembrance." 

"  But  this  is  not  at  all  a  matter  of  business,"  said 
the  director  excitedly.  "  It  is  a  purely  private 
affair,  and  I  can  just  imagine  the  whole  story. 
Hartmann  must  have  treated  her  ladyship  in  his 
own  peculiarly  amiable  way.  Just  imagine  him  in 
a  lady's  salon  !  He  probably  said  to  her  face  what 
he  said  to  me  this  morning,  and  her  ladyship  is 
angry,  the  young  heir  also.  I  shall  doubtless  bear 
some  polite  phrases  from  old  Berkow  because  I 
allowed  the  audience." 

"  Well,  it  is  the  first  time  Herr  Arthur  has  been 
angry  at  anything  that  concerned  his  young  wife," 
said  the  chief  engineer  as  they  went  together  down 
the  steps.  "I  find  that  the  glacial  atmosphere 
which  prevails  in  this  marriage  begins  to  pervade 
the  entire  surroundings.  One  perceives  the  ice 
region  as  soon  as  he  comes  near  them.  Do  you  not 
think  so  ?" 

"  I  think  that  Frau  Berkow  to-day  looked 
enchantingly  beautiful.  She  was  certainly  very 


82  GOOD  LUCK. 

cold  and  very  aristocratic,  but  entirely,  bewilder- 
ingly  beautiful !" 

The  chief  engineer  made  a  comic  gesture  of 
terror. 

"  Heaven  help  us !  You  are  falling  into  Wilberg's 
style.  It  is  a  good  thing  for  you  that  you  are  past 
fifty.  Apropos  of  Wilberg,  he  already  swims  in  a 
sea  of  romantic  adoration,  but  I  do  not  believe  that 
this  or  his  inevitable  verses  will  awaken  any  great 
jealousy  in  Herr  Arthur's  breast.  He  seems  as 
little  inclined  to  bestow  admiration  on  his  beautiful 
wife  as  she  to  receive  it.  Amid  all  these  daily  con- 
venances, I  cannot  help  feeling  that  things  will  not 
take  their  usual  course.  I  suspect  that  under  this 
ice  lies  buried  something  like  a  Vulcan,  who  one  of 
these  fine  days  will  break  loose  with  thunder  and 
lightning,  to  give  us  a  bit  of  an  earthquake  and  a 
worldly  overthrow." 

"  Then  there  would  be  a  flavor  of  poesy  in  'this 
barren  steppe  of  commonplace  life,'  as  Wilberg 
would  say,  provided  the  eruption  only  spared  him 
and  his  guitar.  But  here  we  are  below.  Pleasant 
dreams  to  you,  my  friend.  Gliick  auf" 


GOOD  LUCK.  83 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MOKE  than  four  weeks  had  passed  since  the  bridal 
festivities  on  the  Berkow  estates.  Herr  Berkow, 
having  found  little  of  his  anticipated  pleasure  in  the 
very  early  visit  which  he  had  designed  as  an  agree- 
able surprise  to  his  children,  had  after  a  few  days 
returned  to  the  Residence,  where  urgent  business 
affairs  demanded  his  attention.  Now  he  was  ex- 
pected for  a  longer  sojourn. 

Meantime  there  had  been  no  change  in  the  life 
of  the  young  married  pair,  save  that,  if  possible,  it 
had  become  more  estranged,  colder,  and  more  aris- 
tocratic than  at  first.  Both  seemed  to  long  for  the 
end  of  the  "  honeymoon"  which  they  had  under- 
taken to  pass  in  this  country  solitude.  But  here 
they  must  remain  until  summer  made  possible  a 
longer  journey,  from  which  they  were  to  return  to 
their  fixed  abode,  the  Residence.  Herr  Berkow 
had  already  arranged  the  future  household,  which 
was  to  be  on  a  scale  of  the  most  prodigal  expen- 
diture. 

His  day's  work  had  ended  early  and  Ulrich  Hart- 
man  n  was  returning  to  his  father's  house,  but  he 
was  forced  to  moderate  his  usually  rapid  step,  for 
Herr  Wilberg  was  at  his  side.  This  young  gentle- 


£4  GOOD  LUCK. 

man  had  literally  taken  him  prisoner  and  would 
not  let  him  go.  It  was  a  strange  thing  to  see  one 
of  the  officers  in  such  confidential  relations  with  the 
miner  Hartmann,  and  stranger  yet  was  the  fact 
that  the  advances  all  came  from  Herr  Wilberg. 
But  there  was  something  more  in  this  than  the  well- 
known  law  that  opposites  attract.  The  chief 
engineer  had  no  presentiment  as  to  what  his  idle  jest 
would  lead.  His  sportive  hint  that  Hartmann  and 
his  heroic  deed  would  form  the  subject  for  a  ballad 
just  in  Wilberg's  style  had  fallen  upon  an  all  too 
susceptible  soil.  Wilberg  had  seriously  decided  to 
work  up  this  material  into  a  poem ;  only  he  was  in 
doubt  whether  the  proposed  masterpiece  should  be 
ballad,  epic,  or  drama.  He  never  for  a  moment 
doubted  that  the  varied  excellences  of  these  three 
modes  of  poetic  art  were  all  united  in  his  own 
genius. 

Unhappily  for  Ulrich,  his  energetic  and  coura- 
geous deed  had  fully  impressed  this  rising  poet  with 
the  idea  that  he  was  especially  designed  for  a  tragic 
hero,  and  Wilberg  followed  him  around  like  his 
shadow,  so  as  to  study  so  interesting  a  character. 
When  our  poet  learned  that  Ulrich  had  haughtily 
refused  the  proffered  recompense,  the  romantic 
nimbus  before  his  eyes  grew  to  a  radiance  nothing 
could  dispel — not  even  the  rudeness  of  the  idolized 
hero  nor  the  cutting  remarks  of  the  officers,  who 
were  displeased  with  an  intimacy  with  one  so  un- 
fitted for  their  higher  circle. 

Ulrich  showed  little  inclination  for  being  thus 


GOOD  LUCK.  85 

made  a  "  study "  of  by  the  would-be  poet :  often 
enough,  and  most  impatiently,  he  sought  to  shake 
off  the  intrusive  companionship,  as  one  would  shake 
off  a  troublesome  fly,  but  with  small  success.  Wil- 
berg  was  determined  to  see  a  hero  in  him — a  rough, 
wild,  untamable  hero,  to  be  sure ;  but  the  more  un- 
amiable  he  grew  the  more  delighted  was  our  poet 
at  this  clear  development  of  the  character  he  sought 
to  depict,  and  studied  him  with  all  the  more  ardor. 
The  young  master -miner  at  length,  with  a  shrug  of 
the  shoulders,  yielded  to  the  inevitable.  At  last, 
each  becoming  wonted  to  the  other's  society,  a  sort 
of  intimacy  really  sprang  up  between  them ;  in 
which,  however,  there  was  little  of  respect  on  Hart- 
mann's  side. 

The  wind  blew  rather  cold  from  the  north.  Herr 
Wilberg  carefully  buttoned  his  paletot  and  drew  his 
thick  woolen  shawl  around  him,  while  he  said  with 
a  sigh : 

"  You  are  a  happy  man,  Hartmann,  with  your 
giant  nature  and  your  giant  health.  You  go  up  and 
down  the  mines  in  heat  and  cold  ;  you  stand  unpro- 
tected in  the  biting  wind  ;  while  1  must  carefully 
guard  myself  from  every  change  of  temperature. 
And  I  am  so  nervous,  so  sensitive,  so  excitable ! 
That  comes  from  the  intellect  being  all  too  much 
for  the  body.  Yes,  Hartmann,  it  arises  from  a  pre- 
ponderance of  thought  and  feeling." 

"I  think  it  comes,  Herr  Wilberg,  from  your 
eternal  tea-drinking,"  replied  Ulrich,  with  a  half- 
sympathetic  glance  upon  the  little  sickly  officer. 


86  GOOD  LUCE. 

"  If  every  morning  and  evening  you  gulp  down  that 
thin,  hot  stuff,  you  can  never  be  strong." 

Wilberg,  with  a  consciousness  of  infinite  mental 
superiority,  gazed  up  to  his  adviser. 

"You  do  not  understand,  Hartmann,"  he  said. 
"  I  could  not  possibly  endure  your  rough  diet :  my 
constitution  is  not  fitted  for  it.  And  then  tea  is  a 
highly  aesthetic  drink.  It  enlivens  me ;  it  inspires 
me  when  the  commonplace  work  of  the  day  is  ended  ; 
and  in  the  silent  evening  hours  the  Muses  draw 
nigh » 

"  You  mean  when  you  make  verses  ?"  interrupted 
Ulrich  dryly.  "  And  you  need  tea  for  that  ?  Yes, 
I  should  think  so." 

Happily  just  at  that  moment  a  rhyme  passed 
through  the  head  of  the  insulted  poet,  and  he  must 
hold  it  fast :  so  he  scarce  heard  Ulrica's  words.  The 
next  moment  he  said  good-humoredly  : 

"  I  have  a  request  to  make  of  you,  Hartmann. 
Yes,  an  entreaty,  a  demand,"  he  added,  mounting  to 
a  regular  climax.  "  You  must  grant  it  at  any  price. 
You  are  in  possession  of  an  object  which  to  you  is 
entirely  worthless  and  which  would  make  me 
the  happiest  of  mortals.  You  must  vield  it  to 
me." 

"  What  must  I  yield  to  you  ?"  asked  Ulrich,  who, 
as  usual  when  Wilberg  spoke,  had  only  half- 
listened. 

Herr  Wilberg  blushed,  sighed,  glanced  at  the 
ground,  sighed  a  second  time,  and  then  thought 
proper  to  explain. 


GOOD  LUCK.  81 

"You  remember  the  day  when  you  saved  her 
ladyship's  life  ?  Ah,  Hartmann !  it  is  an  eternal 
shame  that  you  have  no  sensibility  for  the  poetry 
of  that  situation.  If  /  had  only  been  in  your  place ! 
But  enough  of  that.  Our  lady  offered  you  her  own 
handkerchief  to  stay  the  blood  of  your  wound. 
You  kept  it  in  your  hand  because  help  at  once  came 
from  another  source.  My  God !  you  cannot  pos- 
sibly have  forgotten  such  an  occurrence." 

"Well,  what  about  the  handkerchief?"  asked 
Ulrich,  all  at  once  aroused  to  attention. 

"  I  wish  to  possess  it,"  murmured  Wilberg,  cast- 
ing down  his  eyes  with  a  melancholy  air.  "De- 
mand from  me  whatever  you  will,  but  give  me  this 
dear  souvenir  of  a  woman  I  adore." 

"  You  r  cried  Ulrich  in  a  tone  which  made  his 
companion  recoil  and  gaze  anxiously  around  to  see 
if  any  one  was  near. 

"Do  not  scream  so,  Hartmann!  You  have  no 
need  to  be  horrified  because  I  adore  the  wife  of  our 
future  chief.  It  is  something  entirely  different  from 
the  common  acceptation  of  love  ;  that  is — ah  !  but 
you  certainly  do  not  know  what  Platonic  love 
means." 

"No  I "  returned  the  young  miner  curtly,  hasten- 
ing his  pace  and  evidently  determined  to  break  off 
the  conversation. 

"  You  could  not  possibly  understand  that,"  de- 
clared Herr  Wilberg  with  infinite  self-satisfaction, 
"  for  you  never  could  or  would  soar  to  that  exalted 
purity  of  feeling  of  which  only  the  highest  culture 


88  GOOD  LUCK. 

is  capable  ;  of  feeling  which,  without  any  hope — ay, 
without  even  a  wish — contents  itself  with  a  mute, 
blessed,  distant  adoration.  Otherwise  what  think 
you  a  man  could  do  who  loved  a  woman  belonging 
to  another  ?" 

"  One  must  conquer  this  love,"  said  Ulrich  grimly, 

«    QJ. » 

"Or  what?" 

"Kill  his  rival." 

Herr  Wilberg  with  wonderful  celerity  retreated 
to  the  other  side  of  the  road,  where  he  paused  in 
horror. 

"  What  barbarity !  With  murder,  with  the  death- 
blow, would  you  attest  your  love  ?  You  are  a 
terrible  man,  Hartmann !  And  you  say  this  with  a 
tone,  with  a  glance —  Our  gracious  lady  was 
quite  right  when  she  called  you  an  untamable 
nature,  who 

"  Did  she  call  me  that  ?"  interrupted  Hartmann 
excitedly. 

" '  A  wild,  untamable  nature !'  those  were  her 
words — a  highly  intellectual  expression  and  per- 
fectly appropriate  in  this  case.  Hartmann" — the 
young  officer  slowly  and  timidly  ventured  nearer — 
"  Hartmann,  I  might  forgive  you  all  this,  all  you 
have  just  said  ;  but  what  I  never  can  forgive  is  your 
detestable  behavior  to  our  lady.  Have  you,  then, 
no  eye  for  that  grace  and  beauty  which  disarm 
even  the  roughest  of  your  comrades  that  you  shun 
her  glance  as  if  it  would  bring  you  calamity? 
When  you  see  her  carriage  in  the  distance  you  turn, 


GOOD  LUGS:.  89 

away  ;  when  she  drives  by  you  retreat  into  the  first 
house  that  offers.  You  make  a  daily  circuit  around 
the  director's  house  when  you  go  to  your  daily 
work,  for  fear  you  may  meet  her  at  the  park  gate 
and  bo  obliged  to  salute  her.  O  this  obstinate 
class-hatred  which  spares  not  even  women !  I  re- 
peat it,  you  are  a  terrible  man  !" 

Ulrich  was  silent.  Contrary  to  his  habit,  he  let 
this  reproach  pass  without  a  syllable  in  reply,  thus 
strengthening  Herr  Wilberg  in  the  happy  illusion 
that  his  words  at  last  were  of  some  avail.  Greatly 
encouraged,  he  began  anew. 

"And  now,  returning  to  the  main  object — the 
handkerchief " 

"  How  do  I  know  where  the  thing  is?"  interrupt- 
ed Ulrich  roughly.  "  It  may  be  lost ;  or  Martha 
may  have  returned  it.  I  know  nothing  about  it." 

Wilberg  was  almost  beside  himself  at  such  indif- 
ference to  a  treasure  in  his  eyes  so  infinitely  pre- 
cious, when,  on  glancing  up,  he  chanced  to  see 
Martha  coming  out  of  the  overseer's  house,  which 
they  had  meantime  approached.  Like  a  sparrow- 
hawk  the  young  officer  shot  to  her  side  and  began 
to  question  her  about  the  handkerchief — whether  it 
had  been  given  back  or  whether  it  might  not  pos- 
sibly be  somewhere  around  the  house.  At  first  the 
girl  did  not  seem  to  understand  him,  but  as  she 
comprehended  a  shadow  passed  over  her  face. 

"The  handkerchief  is  still  here,"  she  said.  "I 
thought  one  day  I  would  return  it,  so  I  took  it  and 
Washed  out  the  blood ;  but  Ulrich  stormed  like  a 


90  GOOD  LUCK. 

savage  because  I  had  meddled  with  the  handker- 
chief. He  has  it  now  in  his  chest." 

"  Ah !  and  this  was  only  an  excuse  to  deny  me 
the  desired  object !"  cried  Wilberg  with  a  reproach- 
ful glance  at  Ulrich,  who  had  listened  with  bitter 
vexation  and  now  scornfully  said : 

"  You  may  as  well  be  content,  Herr  Wilberg.  The 
handkerchief  you  cannot  have." 

"  And  why  not,  may  I  ask  ?" 

"  Because  I  shall  keep  it,"  replied  Ulrich  dryly. 

"  But,  Hartmann— 

"  When  I  once  say  '  no  '  I  keep  my  word.  You 
know  that,  Herr  Wilberg." 

Wilberg  raised  eyes  and  hands  to  heaven,  as  if 
he  would  call  upon  the  celestial  powers  to  witness 
these  repeated  insults ;  but  all  at  once  his  arms  sank 
powerless  and  he  gave  a  sudden  start  as  a  voice  be- 
hind Martha  said : 

"  Can  you  tell  me,  dear  child —  Ah,  Herr  Wil- 
berg, do  I  intrude  ?" 

Herr  Wilberg  stood  speechless,  as  much  from 
despair  as  from  ecstasy  at  this  unexpected  meeting ; 
for  he  was  quite  overcome  by  the  annihilating  con- 
sciousness that,  in  a  blue  paletot  and  a  green  shawl, 
with  a  nose  reddened  by  the  sharp  winds,  he  must 
now  appear  before  this  high-born  lady,  who  had 
hitherto  seen  him  only  in  the  most  elegant  society 
dress.  He  knew  how  very  unbecoming  to  him  was 
this  array  of  colors,  and  only  an  hour  ago  he  had 
made  a  solemn  vow  to  exchange  the  green  shawl 
for  one  more  suitable ;  but  now  untoward  destiny 


GOOD  LUCK.  91 

had  brought  him  before  the  very  eyes  of  his  ideal. 
Herr  Wilberg  wished  himself  in  the  lowest  shaft  of 
the  mines,  but  still  in  his  embarrassment  he  had 
sense  enough  to  be  vexed  with  Ulrich,  who.  in 
clothes  all  covered  with  the  dust  of  his  work,  stood 
right  before  the  lady  motionless  as  a  statue. 

Eugenie  had  been  walking  along  the  road  leading 
past  the  overseer's  house,  and  had,  unremarked,  en- 
tered the  garden,  where  she  saw  only  Martha.  She 
had  received  no  answer  to  her  half-finished  ques- 
tion,  for  both  men  were  silent  until  Martha  said : 

"  We  were  speaking  of  the  handkerchief  you  gave 
us  for  a  bandage,  and  which  has  not  yet  been  re- 
turned." 

"Ah,  yes!  my  handkerchief,"  replied  Eugenie 
indifferently.  "  I  had  entirely  forgotten  it ;  but  if 
you  have  been  so  careful  about  keeping  it,  child, 
you  can  hand  it  back  to  me." 

"  It  is  Ulrich  who  has  it,  not  I,"  said  Martha,  her 
searching  glance  resting  upon  Ulrich  ;  and  Eugenie 
now  gazed  somewhat  surprised  upon  the  young 
man,  who  had  not  even  greeted  her. 

"Ah!  you,  Hartraann?  Will  you  then  return  it 
to  me  ?" 

Herr  Wilberg  had  new  occasion  to  be  vexed  at 
Ulrich's  "  detestable  behavior,"  for  he  stood  there 
immovable,  his  brow  contracted,  his  lips  com- 
pressed, with  an  expression  of  that  dogged  ob- 
stinacy with  which  he  had  armed  himself  upon  his 
entrance  into  the  lady's  salon.  It  was  evident  that 
he  must  really  fight  down  his  hatred  against  the 


92  GOOD  LUCK. 

young  wife  of  his  chief,  but  this  time  his  better 
nature  conquered. 

Herr  Wilberg  remarked  how  the  first  tones  of 
his  voice  trembled  with  shame  at  his  behavior,  how 
the  glowing  red  mounted  to  his  forehead,  how  the 
hostility  and  obstinacy  of  his  manner  vanished. 
The  lecture  he  had  just  given  must  be  having  its 
effect :  how  else  could  this  iron-headed  Hartmann, 
over  whom  persuasion  and  coercion  were  alike 
without  avail,  have  yielded  a  dumb  obedience  to 
that  one  request  as  now,  when  he  went  into  the 
house  and  after  the  lapse  of  a  few  minutes  came 
back  with  the  handkerchief  in  his  hand  ? 

"  Here,  your  ladyship." 

Eugenie  indifferently  took  the  handkerchief,  upon 
which  she  did  not  seem  to  set  the  slightest  value. 

"And  now,  Herr  Wilberg,  as  you  are  here  you 
can  give  me  some  information.  I  came  this  way 
for  the  first  time,  and  find  the  bridge  leading  to  the 
park  closed  by  a  gate.  Can  it  not  be  opened  ?  And 
must  I  take  the  circuitous  route  back  through  the 
entire  works?" 

She  pointed  to  the  bridge  only  a  few  steps  distant, 
which  led  to  the  park  on  this  side  and  which  was 
protected  by  an  iron  gate.  Herr  Wilberg  was  in 
despair.  The  bridge  was  closed.  They  wished  to 
make  it  impassable  to  the  workmen  who  had  their 
dwellings  on  this  side,  but  the  gardener  had  the 
key.  Wilberg  would  run,  yes,  fly,  to  fetch  it  if  her 
ladyship  could  wait  so  long. 

"Oh,  no,  indeed  !"  replied  Eugenie  a  little  impa- 


GOOD  LUCK.  93 

tiently.  "  Then  you  would  have  twice  to  go  the 
whole  distance  I  seek  to  shun  ;  and  the  waiting 
would  be  rather  too  long.  I  prefer  to  go  around." 

Wilberg  would  not  consent  to  this.  He  begged 
and  entreated  the  lady  to  grant  him  the  pleasure  of 
this  knightly  service,  but  in  the  midst  of  his  well- 
arranged  speech  a  loud  crash  was  heard. 

Ulrich  had  approached  the  gate  and  grasped  it 
with  both  hands.  He  shook  the  iron  bars  with  such 
violence  that  the  fastenings  groaned.  But  as  they 
did  not  yield  at  once  an  angry  flush  passed  over 
the  miner's  face  ;  an  energetic  kick  broke  bolt  and 
lock ;  the  gate  flew  open. 

"  For  God's  sake,  Hartmann,  what  are  you 
doing  ?"  cried  Wilberg  in  affright.  "  What  will 
Herr  Berkow  say  ?" 

Ulrich  gave  him  no  answer.  He  opened  wide 
the  gate  and  turning  around  coolly  said  : 

"  The  way  is  open,  your  ladyship." 

Eugenie  did  not  look  so  thunder-struck  as  the 
young  officer.  She  laughed  as  she  entered  the  way 
so  violently  opened. 

"  I  thank  you,  Hartmann,"  she  said  ;  "  and  as  for 
the  spoiled  lock,  Herr  Wilberg,  give  yourself  no 
uneasiness.  I  will  be  answerable  for  that.  But  as 
the  gate  is  open  will  you  not  also  take  the  short 
way  leading  through  the  park  ?" 

What  a  condescension !  Herr  Wilberg  did  not 
hasten :  he  rushed,  he  flew  to  the  lady's  side,  and 
began  to  rack  his  brains  for  some  topic  of  conversa- 
tion, interesting  and  intellectual  as  possible.  But 


94  GOOD  LUCK. 

he  was  forced  to  content  himself  with  something 

O 

very  prosaic,  for  Eugenie  turned  back  her  head  with 
that  same  earnest,  thoughtful  glance  which  had 
once  before  vainly  sought  to  penetrate  the  contra- 
dictory, enigmatical  ways  of  this  man. 

"  This  Hartmann  has  a  real  Berserker  strength 
and  a  Berserker  violence.  Without  hesitation  he 
shivered  lock  and  bolt,  only " 

"  Only  to  open  a  more  convenient  path  for  me," 
added  Eugenie  in  a  slightly  ironical  tone  as  she 
glanced  at  her  companion.  "  You  would  not  have 
been  guilty  of  so  stormy  a  piece  of  politeness,  Herr 
Wilberg  ?" 

Herr  Wilberg  protested  warmly  against  such  a 
supposition.  Her  ladyship  surely  could  not  believe 
that  he  would  so  violently  assail  the  property  of 
another,  and  in  her  very  presence  !  But  her  lady- 
ship heard  this  assurance  with  an  absent  air,  and 
during  the  whole  walk  Herr  Wilberg,  with  all  his 
efforts,  could  not  once  fetter  her  attention. 

Hartmann  had  again  closed  the  gate  and  was 
slowly  turning  back  to  the  house,  but  before  the 
door  he  paused  and  gazed  steadily  at  the  park  in 
whose  alleys  the  two  figures  had  vanished. 

"  I  thought  when  you  once  said  *  no,'  Ulrich,  no 
it  remained." 

The  young  man  turned  hastily  around  and  his 
sullen  glance  fell  upon  Martha,  who  stood  at  his 
side. 

"  What  is  that  to  you  ?"  he  asked  roughly. 

"  To  me  ?   Nothing.  Do  not  look  so  cross,  Ulrich, 


GOOD  LUCK.  95 

You  are  angry  with  me  because  I  reminded  our 
lady  of  her  handkerchief;  but  it  belonged  to  her. 
And  what  would  you  do  with  that  delicate  white 
thing  ?  You  could  not  even  touch  it  wrhen  you  came 
home  from  work,  and  you  had  really  gazed  at  it 
enough." 

There  lay  a  light,  but  still  unconcealed  tone  of 
irony  in  the  girl's  voice,  and  Ulrich  must  have  felt 
this,  for  he  said  hastily  : 

"  Leave  me  alone  with  your  jeers  and  your  spy- 
ing. I  tell  you,  Martha " 

•/  ' 

"Well,  well!  what  is  the  matter  outside  there? 
Are  you  quarreling  ?"  interrupted  the  overseer,  who 
now  stood  in  the  doorway. 

Ulrich  turned  sullenly  away.  He  seemed  to  have 
no  desire  to  continue  the  quarrel,  while  Martha, 
without  answering  her  uncle,  hurried  past  him  into 
the  house. 

"What  is  the  matter  with  the  girl?"  asked  the 
overseer ;  "  and  what  is  it  between  you  both  ? 
Have  you  again  been  talking  roughly  to  her?" 

Ulrich,  with  a  scornful  gesture,  threw  himself  on 
a  bench. 

"  I  am  not  going  to  be  dictated  to  as  to  what  I 
shall  do,  and  least  of  all  by  Martha." 

"  She  surely  would  do  nothing  to  grieve  you" 
said  the  father  calmly. 

"  And  why  not  me?" 

The  overseer  looked  steadily  at  his  son  and  said  : 

"  Have  you  no  eyes  in  your  head  or  will  you  not 
see  it  ?  But  you  really  have  never  troubled  your- 


96  GOOD  LUCK. 

self  about  this  girl,  and  it  is  no  wonder  you  do  not 
at  all  understand  her." 

"What  am  I  to  understand  then?"  asked  the 
young  man,  all  at  once  growing  attentive. 

The  father  took  the  pipe  out  of  his  mouth  and 
blew  forth  a  cloud  of  smoke. 

"  That  Martha  loves  you,"  he  replied. 

"Martha!     Me!" 

"  I  really  believe  he  did  not  know  it  before !"  said 
the  overseer  in  unfeigned  astonishment.  "  And  his 
old  father  must  first  tell  it  to  him  !  But  that  comes 
from  having  one's  nose  forever  stuck  in  things  that 
bewilder  the  brain.  God  knows,  Ulrich,  that  it  is 
time  you  had  done  with  all  this  stuff  and  nonsense 
and  took  a  sensible  wife  who  would  bring  you  to 
better  thoughts." 

Ulrich  glanced  over  to  the  park,  and  his  eyes 
again  took  on  their  former  sullen,  gloomy  expres- 
sion. 

"  You  are  right,  father,"  he  said  slowly :  "  it  is 
time !" 

The  old  man  almost  let  fall  his  pipe  from  as- 
tonishment. 

"  Boy,  this  is  the  first  reasonable  word  I  have 
heard  from  you.  Are  you  really  coming  to  your 
senses  ?  Yes,  indeed  it  is  time !  You  could  long 
ago  have  supported  a  wife  ;  and,  far  and  near,  you 
will  find  no  prettier,  better,  or  more  sensible  girl 
than  Martha.  I  need  not  tell  you  how  glad  I  should 
be  to  have  you  marry.  Now  think  the  matter 
over." 


GOOD  LUCK.  97 

The  young  man  had  sprung  from  his  seat  and 
was  now  hastily  walking  up  and  down. 

"Perhaps  it  would  be  best.  There  must  be  an 
end  to  all  this — that  I  have  again  seen  to-day — and 
the  sooner  the  better." 

"  What  is  it  ?     With  what  must  an  end  be  made  ?" 

"Nothing,  father,  nothing!  But  you  are  quite 
right.  If  I  only  had  a  wife  I  should  know  where  I 
and  my  thoughts  belonged.  Do  you  really  believe 
that  Martha  likes  me?" 

"  Go  and  ask  her  yourself,"  cried  the  overseer, 
laughing.  "  Do  you  think  the  girl  would  still  be  in 
our  house  if  she  cared  to  marry  another?  She 
certainly  has  wooers  a  plenty.  I  know  enough 
who  want  her ;  and  Lorenz  for  a  year  and  a  day  has 
wooed  in  vain.  He  has  won  no  yes ;  but  you,  if 
you  will,  can  receive  one  this  very  day." 

Ulrich  listened  intently,  but  in  spite  of  this  flat- 
tering assertion  his  face  showed  little  happiness 
or  content.  He  looked  as  if  he  was  forcing  down 
a  rebellious  something  that  would  not  let  him  come 
to  a  decision,  and  there  was  a  wildness  and  con- 
vulsiveness  in  the  sudden  resolution  with  which  he 
now  said : 

"  Very  well,  if  you  think  I  shall  not  receive  a 
refusal  I  will  speak  with  Martha." 

"  Must  it  be  right  away  ?"  asked  the  overseer, 
perplexed.  "  Ulrich,  people  do  not  woo  in  this 
headlong  manner,  especially  if  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
before  they  have  had  no  idea  of  it.  First  reflect 
upon  the  matter." 


98  GOOD  LUCK 

Ulrich  made  an  impatient  gesture. 

"  Why  this  long  delay  ?  1  must  know  where  I 
stand.  Let  me  go  in,  father !" 

The  father  shook  his  head ;  but  he  had  too  much 
fear  lest  his  son  might  waver  in  this  sudden  res- 
olution to  place  any  serious  obstacle  in  his  way. 
In  his  joy  of  heart,  it  troubled  him  little  that  this 
union  for  which  he  had  so  ardently  longed  was  to 
be  brought  about  in  a  somewhat  unusual  way,  so  he 
concluded  to  remain  outside  and  let  the  young 
people  arrange  matters  undisturbed  ;  for  he  knew 
Ulrich  well  enough  to  be  aware  that  any  untimely 
interference  on  his  part  might  spoil  all. 

The  young  man  meantime,  as  if  he  would  not 
allow  himself  a  moment  for  reflection,  strode  quickly 
through  the  hall  and  opened  the  door  of  the  sitting- 
room,  where  Martha  was.  Martha  sat  at  a  table, 
the  hands  usually  so  busy  idly  folded  on  her  lap. 
She  did  not  glance  up  as  he  entered,  and  seemed 
not  to  notice  that  he  stood  close  by  her  chair,  but 
he  saw  that  she  had  been  weeping. 

"  Does  it  still  grieve  you,  Martha,  my  just  speak- 
ing so  unkindly  ?  I  am  sorry.  Why  do  you  look 
at  me  in  that  way  ?" 

"Because  it  is  the  first  time  you  have  been 
grieved  or  sorry  on  my  account.  You  have  never 
before  asked  whether  I  was  glad  or  sorrowful. 
Let  it  be  so  to-day." 

The  tone  sounded  cold  and  repellent  enough,  but 
Ulrich  did  not  allow  himself  to  be  frightened  away. 
His  father's  revelation  must  have  had  a  powerful 


GOOD  LUCK.  99 

effect  upon  his  stormy  nature,  for  his  voice  was  un- 
usually mild  as  he  answered : 

"  I  know  that  I  am  a  greal  deal  worse  than  the 
others,  but  I  cannot  change  at  once.  You  must 
take  me  just  as  I  am,  and  perhaps  you  will  make 
something  better  out  of  me." 

The  girl  had  at  his  first  tone  glanced  up  surprised. 
Something  unusual  must  have  been  in  his  face,  for 
she  made  a  hasty  movement  to  rise.  Ulrich  held 
her  fast. 

"  Eemain,  here,  Martha !  I  have  to  speak  with 
you.  I  want  to  ask  you — well,  I  cannot  make 
many  words,  and  between  us  that  is  unnecessary. 
We  are  brother  and  sister's  children ;  we  have  for 
years  lived  together  in  the  same  house.  You  best 
know  what  you  have  to  expect  from  me,  and  you 
know  that  I  have  always  liked  you  in  spite  of  all 
our  quarrels.  Will  you  be  my  wife,  Martha  ?" 

The  wooing  came  so  hastily,  so  rashly,  so  stormily, 
and  was  so  like  the  nature  of  the  wooer !  He  drew 
a  deep  breath,  as  if  with  the  decisive  words  a  bur- 
den had  rolled  from  his  heart.  Martha  still  sat 
un  movable  before  him,  a  deep  pallor  on  her  usually 
blooming  face ;  but  she  did  not  waver  or  delay  an 
instant  before  giving  her  answer,  a  low,  half-stifled 
«No.n 

Ulrich  could  not  believe  his  senses. 

"  Will  you  not  ?"  he  asked. 

"  No,  Ulrich,  I  will  not !"  repeated  Martha  in  a 
hollow  but  decided  voice. 

The  young  man  sprang  angrily  to  his  feet. 


100  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Well,  then,  I  might  have  saved  myself  this  long 
speech,"  he  said.  "My  father  erred  and  I  also. 
Do  not  be  offended,  Martha." 

Bitterly  wounded  in  his  manly  pride,  he  was 
about  to  leave  the  room,  when  a  glance  from 
Martha  forced  him  to  remain.  She  had  risen  and 
with  both  hands  grasped  the  arm  of  her  chair,  as  if 
she  must  have  this  support.  No  word  of  reply  or 
of  explanation  passed  her  lips,  but  those  lips 
trembled  so  violently  and  in  her  pale  face  was  such 
unutterable  woe  that  Ulrich  felt  his  father  must  be 
right  in  spite  of  all. 

"  I  believed  you  love  me,  Martha,"  he  said  in  a 
slightly  reproachful  tone. 

With  a  passionate  gesture  she  turned  from  him 
and  buried  her  face  in  her  hands,  but  he  heard  a 
sound,  which  was  as  of  sobs,  with  difficulty  re- 
pressed. 

"  I  might  have  reflected  that  I  am  too  wild,  too 
rough  for  you.  You  are  afraid  of  me :  you  think 
that  after  marriage  it  might  be  even  worse.  In 
Lorenz  you  certainly  will  find  a  better  man,  who 
will  do  in  all  things  as  you  wish." 

The  girl  shook  her  head  and  slowly  turned  her 
face  to  his. 

"  I  do  not  fear  you,"  she  said,  "  even  if  you  are 
rough  and  violent.  I  know  you  cannot  be  other- 
wise. I  would  have  taken  you  just  as  you  are, 
perhaps  gladly,  but  I  will  not  accept  you  as  you 
now  are,  as  you  have  been  since  the  day  her  lady- 
ship came." 


GOOD  LUCK.  101 

Ulrich  trembled.  A  flaming  red  shot  up  into  his 
face.  He  knew  he  ought  to  fly  into  a  passion,  to 
angrily  command  her  silence,  but  not  a  syllable 
broke  from  his  lips. 

"  Uncle  thinks  that  you  care  for  no  one,  that  you 
have  other  thoughts  in  your  head,"  continued  Mar- 
tha, still  more  excitedly.  "  Ah,  yes !  quite  other 
thoughts  !  You  have  never  cared  for  me,  and  now 
you  come  all  at  once  and  ask  me  to  be  your  wife ! 
You  need  some  one  who  will  drive  away  those 
thoughts  ;  do  you  not,  Ulrich  ?  And  for  this,  the 
first  one  at  hand  will  do  ;  for  this  I  am  good  enough. 
But  I  am  not  deceived.  If  I  loved  you  more  than 
all  the  world  and  if  it  would  cost  me  my  life  to  let 
you  go — rather  Lorenz,  rather  any  other  now,  than 
you !" 

It  was  an  outbreak  of  fearful  passion  in  this  usu- 
ally quiet  girl.  In  this  storm  which  had  broken 
loose  within  her  Ulrich  might  have  learned  how 
strong  a  hold  he  had  upon  her  heart.  Perhaps  he 
did  learn  this,  but  it  did  not  remove  the  cloud  from 
his  forehead  nor  that  flaming  glow  from  his  face, 
which  grew  deeper  at  every  word.  He  had  no  reply  to 
make,  and  as  she  now  broke  into  a  loud  weeping  he 
stood  by  her  dumb,  without  one  consoling  or  paci- 
fying word.  Some  minutes  passed  thus.  Martha 
sat  with  arms  folded  over  the  table  and  her  head 
resting  on  them.  No  sound  was  heard  save  her 
low,  convulsive  sobs  and  the  ticking  of  the  clock  on 
the  wall.  At  last  Ulrich  bent  down  to  her.  His 
voice  was  no  longer  rough  and  passionate,  but  yet 


102  GOOD  LUCK. 

it  was  not  mild.  There  lay  in  it  only  a  hollow  tone 
of  sympathy. 

"  Never  mind,  Martha  !  1  thought  things  would 
be  better  if  you  helped  me.  Perhaps  they  would 
only  have  been  worse,  and  you  are  quite  right  to 
venture  nothing  for  my  sake.  Let  all  remain  as  it 
was  with  us  both." 

He  went  without  further  adieu,  but  at  the  thresh- 
old he  paused  and  looked  back  at  Martha.  She  did 
not  raise  her  head  and  he  passed  quickly  out. 

"  Well  ?"  asked  the  overseer  eagerly,  coming  to 
meet  his  son.  "  Well  ?"  he  repeated  more  slowly, 
for  Ulrich's  face  did  not  look  like  that  of  a  success- 
ful wooer. 

"  It  was  of  no  use,  father,"  said  Ulrich  gloomily. 
"  Martha  would  not  have  me." 

"  Would  not  have  you  ?  Not  you  ?"  cried  the  old 
man  in  a  tone  as  if  the  most  incredible  thing  in  the 
world  had  just  been  told  him. 

"  No !  And  now  don't  torment  us  with  questions 
and  speeches  about  it.  She  very  well  knows  why 
she  has  refused  me,  and  so  do  I :  a  third  person 
need  know  nothing  about  it.  And  now  let  me  go, 
father.  I  must  go  !" 

Hastily,  as  if  he  would  shun  all  explanation,  the 
young  man  walked  away.  The  overseer  seized  his 
pipe  with  both  hands,  and  in  his  vexation  was  almost 
tempted  to  dash  it  on  the  floor. 

"  It's  precious  little  one  understands  about  these 
young  women,"  he  growled.  "  I  thought  the  girl 
loved  him,  and  now  she  sends  him  off  with  a  no. 


GOOD  LUCE.  103 

And  he — I  really  did  not  think  the  lad  would  lay  it 
so  to  heart.  He  looked  quite  confounded  and  was 
off  like  a  madman.  For  my  life  I  cannot  account  for 
it,  much  as  I  know  of  him  and  just  as  little  of 
Martha." 

The  overseer  began  hastily  to  pace  up  and  down 
the  garden,  until  his  anger  gave  place  to  a  more 
resigned  mood.  What  could  he  do  about  it  ?  The 
two  could  not  be  forced  to  marry,  and  if  they  would 
not  it  was  of  no  use  to  rack  one's  brains  over  the 
question  why  they  would  not.  With  a  deep  sigh 
the  old  man  bade  farewell  to  the  darling  plan  of  his 
life. 

While  he  yet  stood  in  troubled  thought  by  the 
garden  gate  he  saw  young  Herr  Berkow  coming 
along  the  road  which  led  past  his  little  house  to  the 
rear  of  the  park.  Arthur  seemed  better  acquainted 
with  the  way  than  his  wife  had  been.  He  took  a 
key  from  his  pocket,  which  fitted  the  lock  Ulrich 
had  forced  open.  The  overseer  bowed  low  and 
respectfully  as  the  young  heir  passed,  but  he,  with  his 
usual  indifference,  scarce  gave  back  a  side  glance, 
and  with  a  haughty,  careless  nod  was  passing  on. 
The  old  man's  features  quivered.  He  stood  with 
cap  in  hand  and  gazed  after  the  future  chief  with  a 
silent,  mournful  glance  which  seemed  to  say :  "And 
even  you  have  become  so  !" 

Whether  Arthur  remarked  this  glance  or  whether 
it  occurred  to  him  now  for  the  first  time  that  the 
old  friend  and  companion  of  his  childhood  years 
stood  before  him  he  paused  suddenly. 


104  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Ah,  is  it  you,  Hartmann  ?    How  do  you  do  ?" 

In  his  lazy,  indifferent  way  he  put  forth  his  hand 
and  seemed  somewhat  surprised  that  it  was  not 
grasped  at  once,  but  the  overseer  had  not  for  years 
indulged  in  such  a  familiarity.  He  hesitated  ;  and 
as  he  at  last  took  the  proffered  hand  it  was 
timidly  and  carefully,  as  if  he  feared  that  delicate 
white  hand  might  suffer  harm  in  his  own  hard  fist. 

"I  thank  you,  I  am  well,  Herr  Arthur — I  beg 
your  pardon,  I  should  say  Herr  Berkovv." 

"  Call  me  by  the  old  name,"  said  the  young  man 
kindly.  "  You  are  more  accustomed  to  it  and  I  like 
it  better  than  the  other.  Are  you  content,  Hart- 
mann ?" 

"Yes,  thank  God  !  Herr  Arthur,  I  have  what  I 
need.  There  must  be  a  bit  of  care  and  anxiety  in 
every  house,  and  I  am  having  some  just  now  with 
my  children  ;  but  that  is  neither  here  nor  there.'' 

The  overseer,  with  surprise,  saw  that  the  young 
gentleman  drew  nearer  and  rested  both  arms  upon 
the  wooden  gate,  as  if  he  intended  a  longer  conver- 
sation. 

"  With  your  children  ?  I  thought  you  had  but 
one — a  son." 

"  You  are  quite  right — ray  TJlrich  ;  but  I  have  a 
sister's  child  also  in  the  house — Martha  Ewers." 

"  And  does  she  cause  you  anxiety  ?" 

"  God  forbid  !"  cried  the  overseer  hastily.  "  The 
girl  is  noble  and  good,  and  I  had  thought  she  and 
Ulrich  would  marry  and " 

"  And  Ulrich  will  not  ?"  interrupted  Arthur  with 
a  quick  upward  glance  from  his  heavy  eyes. 


GOOD  LUCK.  105 

The  old  man  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  I  do  not  know  whether  he  really  would  not  or 
began  his  wooing  in  the  wrong  way.  Enough,  all 
is  over  between  them ;  and  this  was  my  last  hope, 
that  he  would  marry  a  sensible  woman  who  would 
set  his  head  right." 

It  was  strange  that  the  old  miner's  simple  and 
uninteresting  family  recitals  did  not  seem  to  weary 
the  young  gentleman.  He  did  not  once  yawn  as 
usual,  and  his  face  showed  a  sort  of  interest  as  he 
asked : 

"  Is  his  head  not  right  now  ?" 

The  old  man  gave  the  questioner  a  timid  side 
glance ;  then  his  eyes  fell  to  the  ground. 

"  Herr  Arthur,"  he  said,  "  I  am  not  the  first  to 
tell  you  of  this.  You  must  already  have  heard 
enough  about  Ulrich." 

"  Yes,  I  remember :  my  father  spoke  to  me  of 
him.  Your  son  is  not  on  good  terms  with  the 
officers." 

The  father  sighed. 

"  I  cannot  change  matters,"  he  said.  "  Ulrich 
obeys  me  no  longer  :  in  fact,  he  never  has  obeyed 
ine.  He  must  always  have  his  own  way,  let  who 
will  oppose.  I  have  allowed  this  lad  to  learn  a 
great  deal  more  than  other  lads  of  his  station,  per- 
haps more  than  was  good  for  him.  I  thought  he 
would  rise  the  more  rapidly,  and  he  is  now  master- 
miner  and  might  be  an  overseer  ;  but  all  this  trouble 
comes  from  his  learning.  He  bothers  his  head 
about  all  sorts  of  histories,  wants » to  know  every- 


106  GOOD  LUCK. 

thing,  sits  the  whole  night  at  his  books,  and  is  all 
in  all  with  his  comrades.  How  he  got  to  be  first 
everywhere  I  do  not  know  ;  but  when  he  was  a 
little  fellow  he  had  the  other  lads  all  under  his  con- 
trol, and  it  is  now  worse  than  ever.  What  he  says 
they  believe  blindly :  where  he  stands  they  all 
stand  together.  If  he  should  lead  them  into  a 
living  hell  they  would  follow.  But  this  is  not  as  it 
should  be,  especially  on  the  works." 

"And  why  not?"  asked  Arthur,  while,  as  if  in 
deep  thought,  he  drew  figures  with  the  key  upon 
the  wooden  gate. 

"  Because  the  people  here  are  too  badly  off  al- 
ready," burst  out  the  overseer.  "  Do  not  be  angry, 
Herr  Arthur,  because  I  say  it  to  your  face ;  for  it 
is  even  so.  I  cannot  complain.  I  have  always  had 
more  than  my  deserts,  because  your  dead  mother 
liked  my  wife;  but  the  others!  It  is  work  and 
anxiety  day  in  and  day  out,  and  then  scarce  the 
barest  necessaries  for  wife  and  child.  It  is,  God 
knows,  bitter  bread  and  sour  bread  we  earn ;  but 
we  must  all  work,  and  the  most  are  heartily  glad  to 
work  if  they  can  have  only  their  rights  as  upon  the 
other  mines.  But  here  they  are  oppressed.  Every 
penny  possible  is  taken  from  their  scanty  earnings, 
and  things  are  so  bad  in  the  mines  that  every  man 
on  going  down  says  his  prayers,  because  he  thinks 
he  is  likely  never  to  come  up  again.  But  there  is 
never  any  money  for  repairs,  and  if  any  of  the 
miners  is  in  need  and  sickness  there  is  no  money  to 
help  him  ;  and  still  we  must  see  how  hundreds  of 


GOOD  LUCK.  107 

thousands  are  sent  away  to  the  Residence,  so 
that- 

The  old  man  suddenly  paused  and  in  mortal 
terror  laid  his  hand  upon  his  gossiping  mouth.  He 
had  spoken  in  such  excitement  that  he  had  quite 
forgotten  who  stood  before  him.  The  deep  flush 
which  at  these  last  words  had  passed  over  the 
young  man's  face  first  recalled  him  to  remembrance. 

"Well?"  asked  Arthur  as  he  became  silent. 
"  Speak  on,  Hartmann  ;  you  see  that  I  listen." 

"  Heaven  help  me !"  whispered  the  old  man  in  the 
greatest  embarrassment.  "  I  did  not  think — I  had 
entirety  forgotten " 

"  Who  had  used  up  the  hundred  thousands?  You 
need  make  no  excuses.  Speak  out  freely  whatever 
yru  have  to  say.  Or  do  you  believe  that  I  will  be- 
tray you  to  my  father  ?" 

"Oh.  no!  you  certainly  would  not  do  that!"  re- 
plied the  overseer.  "  You  are  not  like  your  father. 
An  indiscreet  word  to  him  would  cost  a  man  his 
place.  Well,  I  was  only  going  to  say  that  all  this 
causes  bad  blood  among  the  workmen.  Herr 
Arthur" — with  a  timid,  supplicating  air  the  old  man 
drew  a  step  nearer — "  if  you  would  only  concern 
yourself  about  these  matters.  You  are  the  son  of 
the  proprietor  and  some  day  will  inherit  all.  No 
one  can  be  so  nearly  concerned  as  you." 

"/?"  asked  Arthur  with  a  bitterness  which 
happily  quite  escaped  his  unsuspecting  listener. 
"  I  understand  none  of  the  wants  and  necessities  of 
the  works.  All  this  has  been  kept  entirely  remote 
from  me." 


108  GOOD  LUCK 

The  old  man  shook  his  head  sadly. 

"  God  knows  there  is  not  much  to  understand. 
For  this  you  need  not  study  the  machinery  or  the 
mines ;  you  need  only  to  see  and  listen  to  the  work- 
men as  you  now  listen  to  me  ;  but  really  no  one 
does  that.  Whoever  complains  is  sent  away  for '  in- 
subordination'— so  it  is  called  ;  and  the  poor  miner, 
dismissed  for  this  cause,  finds  another  place  only 
with  great  difficulty.  Herr  Arthur,  I  tell  you  there 
is  bitter  misery  here,  and  this  it  is  which  Ulrich 
cannot  bear  to  see.  It  corrodes  his  heart,  and 
though  I  am  all  the  time  talking  and  preaching 
against  his  ideas,  I  know  that  in  many  respects  he 
is  right.  Things  cannot  go  on  in  this  way.  But 
Ulrich's  plans  for  righting  matters  are  godless  and 
wicked ;  they  will  yet  bring  him  and  us  all  to  ruir . 
Herr  Arthur" — sorrowful  tears  stood  in  the  old 
man's  eyes  as  he  now  unhesitatingly  took  the  hand 
of  the  young  heir — "  Herr  Arthur,  in  God's  name  I 
implore  you  take  this  matter  in  hand.  There  is 
danger  for  you,  for  your  father,  and  for  us  all. 
There  is  rebellion  everywhere  among  the  miners ; 
but  if  it  once  breaks  loose  here  among  as,  then 
Heaven  help  us,  for  it  will  be  terrible !" 

During  this  whole  speech  Arthur  had  stood  silent, 
with  a  far-off,  vacant  gaze.  Now  he  lifted  his  eyes 
and  fixed  them  sadly  on  the  speaker. 

"  I  will  mention  this  to  my  father,"  he  said 
slowly.  "  You  may  rely  upon  that,  Hartraann." 

The  overseer  let  fall  the  hand  he  held  and  started 
back.  Now  that  he  had  laid  bare  his  whole  heart, 


GOOD  LUCK.  109 

he  certainly  expected  some  other  result  than  this 
barren  promise.  Arthur,  with  a  somewhat  offended 
air,  turned  to  go. 

"  One  thing  more,  Hartmann,"  he  said.  "  Your 
son  saved  my  life  and  may  well  feel  wounded  in 
having  received  no  word  of  thanks  from  me.  I 
place  little  worth  upon  life,  and  possibly  I  may 
have  undervalued  the  service  rendered  me ;  but  I 
should  not  have  been  guilty  of  such  neglect  if" — the 
young  heir  frowned  and  his  voice  assumed  a  sharp 
tone  — "  if  your  Ulrich  had  not  been  just  the  man  he 
is.  I  have  no  desire  to  have  my  acknowledgments 
repulsed,  as  my  late  proffered  reward  was.  But  yet 
I  would  not  be  deemed  ungrateful.  Say  to  him 
that  I  allow  you  to  present  him  my  thanks.  As  for 
the  rest,  I  will  take  counsel  with  my  father.  Good- 
day  !" 

He  took  the  way  to  the  park.  The  overseer 
gazed  mournfully  after  him  and  with  a  deep-drawn 
sigh  said  softly  to  himself  :  . 

"  God  grant  his  intercession  with  his  father  may 
help  us  1  but  I  do  not  believe  it  will." 


110  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

UP  at  the  Berkow  place  the  family  equipage  was 
brought  out  of  the  coach-house  and  the  coachman 
set  about  harnessing  the  horses. 

"  This  is  something  entirely  new,"  he  said  to  the 
servant  who  had  brought  the  order  to  harness. 
"  The  young  master  and  mistress  going  to  drive  out 
together?  This  day  must  be  marked  red  in  the 
calendar." 

The  servant  laughed. 

"  Yes,  and  little  of  a  pleasure  drive  it  will  be ; 
but  it  can't  be  avoided.  Return  visits  are  to  be 
made  in  town  to  those  aristocratic  people  who  \vere 
lately  here  to  dine,  and  it  wouldn't  look  well  for 
the  husband  and  wife  each  to  go  alone.  They'd 
rather,  I've  no  doubt." 

"  A  curious  couple,"  said  the  coachman,  shaking 
his  head.  "  And  they  call  this  being  married ! 
God  deliver  everybody  from  such  a  marriage !" 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  the  coach,  with 
Arthur  Berkow  and  his  wife,  rolled  along  the  road 
leading  to  the  town.  The  weather  had  been  toler- 
able during  the  forenoon,  but  was  now  quite  threat- 
ening. The  sky  was  overcast,  the  wind,  increased 
to  a  gale,  drove  the  gray  clouds  before  it,  and  every 


GOOD  LUCK.  HI 

now  and  then  a  shower  fell  upon  the  already  rain- 
soaked  earth. 

It  had  been  an  exceedingly  rough,  stormy  spring 
—one  of  those  springs  to  make  city  people  shun  a 
sojourn  in  the  country.  Although  May  had  come, 
the  trees  of  the  Berkow  park  were  bare  and  leaf- 
less ;  the  sharp  winds  and  cold  gusts  of  rain,  to  the 
despair  of  the  gardener,  had  destroyed  the  flowery 
array  he  had  so  carefully  nursed  on  the  terrace  and 
in  the  garden-beds,  and  pitilessly  rent  out  and 
killed  every  blossom  that  dared  expand  in  the  open 
air.  The  bottomless  roads,  the  rain-soaked  forests, 
made  every  carriage-drive  as  unpleasant  as  danger- 
ous an  undertaking. 

Da}T  after  day  of  wind  and  rain,  a  gray,  overcast 
sky,  mist-wreathed  hills  and  valleys,  and  worse  than 
all  these  a  dreary,  comfortless  household,  where  no 
sunbeam  penetrated  the  fog  which  closed  thicker 
and  thicker  around,  where  every  blossom  that 
sought  to  open  was  frozen  in  that  icy  atmosphere  of 
contempt  and  hatred,  where  a  husband  and  wife 
regarded  as  a  kind  of  torture,  which  each  would 
escape  as  soon  as  possible,  that  undisturbed  dual 
life  which  newly  married  people  are  wont  to  con- 
sider their  highest  happiness.  All  this  might  well 
explain  the  deep  pallor  on  the  young  wife's  face  ; 
the  expression  of  pain  around  the  mouth  which  all 
her  self-control  could  not  efface ;  the  somber, 
melancholy  glance  with  which  she  surveyed  the 
rainy  landscape. 

She  had  imposed  more  upon  her  strength  than  it 


112  GOOD  LUCK. 

could  bear.  In  that  first  transport  of  courage  and 
filial  love  the  sacrifice  had  been  cheerfully  made, 
but  it  was  the  hours  and  days  after  the  sacrifice,  it 
was  this  passive  submission  to  the  self-imposed 
destiny,  which  demanded  the  real  courage,  the  full 
strength  of  will ;  and  much  as  Eugenie  possessed  of 
both,  it  was  only  too  evident  how  painfully  this 
"  afterward"  oppressed  her. 

Her  husband,  who  reclined  in  the  further  corner 
of  the  coach,  so  far  removed  that  the  folds  of  her 
silk  dress  scarce  touched  his  cloak,  seemed  none  the 
more  cheerfully  to  endure  his  destiny.  His  face 
had,  indeed,  always  been  as  pale,  his  eyes  always 
as  heavy,  his  manner  always  unsympathetic  as 
now ;  but  there  was  in  his  features  an  expression 
Eugenie  had  never  seen  before  and  which  the  last 
four  weeks  had  engraven  there — a  bitter,  morose 
expression  which  even  that  indifferent,  blase  air 
could  not  conceal. 

He  gazed  silently  out  of  the  coach  window  and 
seemed  as  little  inclined  to  converse  as  Eugenie  her- 
self. They  had  upon  taking  their  seats  met  for  the 
first  time  to-day,  and  had  exchanged  some  common- 
place remarks  about  the  weather,  the  journey,  and 
its  object ;  then  an  icy  silence  had  ensued,  which 
seemed  likely  to  continue  until  their  arrival  in  the 
town. 

The  jaunt  was  pleasant  in  no  respect.  Though  in 
this  luxurious  coach  they  felt  nothing  of  the  outside 
discomfort,  yet  these  soft  cushions  could  not  wholly 
guard  against  the  roughness  of  the  road,  over  which, 


0002)  LUCK.  U3 

in  spite  of  the  powerful  horses,  they  dragged  along 
very  slowly.  They  had  gone  nearly  half  the  dis- 
tance and  were  in  the  middle  of  the  forest,  when  a 
violent  shock  threw  the  carriage  almost  on  its  side. 
The  coachman,  with  a  half-muttered  oath,  reined 
in  his  horses;  then  he  and  the  footman  stepped 
down  from  the  box,  and  from  the  excited  conversa- 
tion between  them  it  was  evident  that  something 
was  the  matter. 

"  What  has  happened  ?"  asked  Eugenie,  excitedly 
springing  from  her  seat. 

Arthur  showed  far  less  interest  to  know  what  had 
happened.  He  would,  from  all  appearances,  have 
quietly  waited  until  tidings  were  brought  him,  but 
now  he  felt  in  duty  bound  to  let  down  the  window 
and  repeat  his  wife's  question. 

"  Give  yourself  no  uneasiness,  Herr  Berkow,"  said 
the  coachman,  who,  the  reins  in  his  hand,  appeared 
at  the  window.  "  We  came  within  a  hair's-breadth 
of  being  upset,  but  luckily  we  have  escaped.  Some- 
thing must  be  broken  in  the  hind  wheel.  Franz  is 
looking  to  see  what  it  is." 

The  intelligence  Franz  brought  was  not  very  con- 
soling. The  wheel  was  so  badly  injured  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  go  on.  Both  servants  in 
perplexity  looked  at  their  master. 

"  I  fear  this  accident  will  oblige  us  to  give  up  our 
visits,"  said  Arthur  indifferently  to  his  wife. 
"  Franz  will  have  to  go  to  the  house  for  another 
carriage,  and  when  he  returns  it  will  be  too  late." 

"  Nothing  then  remains  for  us  but  to  get  out  and 
return  to  the  house." 


114  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  To  get  out  ?"  asked  Arthur  in  astonishment. 
"  Do  you  really  intend  to  return  on  foot  ?" 

"And  do  you  really  intend  to  remain  in  this  car- 
riage until  Franz  brings  us  another  ?" 

Arthur  certainly  had  this  intention.  He  thought 
it  far  better  to  lie  two  hours  in  the  corner  of  the 
coach,  where  he  would  be  shielded  from  wind  and 
weather,  than  venture  on  a  foot-tramp  through  the 
cold,  wet  forest.  Eugenie  saw  this  and  smiled  dis- 
dainfully. 

"  For  my  part,"  she  said,  "  I  will  go  back  on  foot 
rather  than  endure  this  tedious,  aimless  waiting. 
Franz  will  accompany  me,  as  he  is  obliged  to  go. 
You,  I  suppose,  will  remain  in  the  coach  ?  I  would 
on  no  account  take  upon  myself  the  responsibility 
of  your  catching  cold." 

The  unconcealed  irony  of  these  words  effected 
what  the  accident  could  not  have  done  :  they  drove 
the  young  man  from  his  corner.  He  rose  erect, 
burst  open  the  door,  and  the  next  moment  stood 
outside,  offering  his  hand  to  assist  his  wife  down 
the  carriage  steps.  Eugenie  hesitated. 

"  I  implore  you,  Arthur — 

"  I  implore  you  at  least  not  to  make  a  spectacle 
to  our  servants  by  choosing  the  company  of  Franz 
in  preference  to  mine.  Shall  I  assist  you  down  ?" 

The  young  wife  gave  an  almost  imperceptible 
shrug  of  the  shoulders.  Still,  nothing  remained  to 
her  but  to  accept  the  proffered  hand,  for  the  coach- 
man and  servant  stood  very  near.  She  stepped 
from  the  coach  and  Arthur  said  to  the  attendants ; 


GOOD  LUCK.  115 

"  I  will  accompany  her  ladyship  home.  Take  the 
coach  to  some  pl^ce  of  shelter  and  follow  with  the 
horses  as  quickly  as  possible." 

The  servants  took  off  their  hats,  bowed,  and  then 
set  about  executing  the  command.  With  a  some- 
what repellent  gesture  Eugenie  refused  her  hus- 
band's offered  arm. 

"  I  fear  we  shall  be  obliged  to  forego  the  prome- 
nade step  here,"  she  said.  "I  can  look  out  for 
myself." 

She  in  fact  tried  this,  but  it  was  only  at  the  very 
first  step  to  sink  ankle-deep  in  the  mud,  and  when 
in  her  fright  she  fled  to  the  side  of  the  road,  it  was 
to  sink  deeper  yet  in  the  water.  There  she  stood, 
undecided  what  to  do.  The  road  seen  from  the 
coach  had  not  appeared  half  so  bad  as  she  found  it. 

"  We  cannot  get  on  here,"  said  Arthur,  who  had 
tried  the  same  experiment  with  like  results.  "  We 
must  go  through  the  wood." 

"Without  knowing  the  way?  We  shall  get 
lost." 

"Oh,  no!  not  at  all.  I  remember  a  foot-path  I1 
often  trod  when  a  boy  ;  it  leads  over  the  hill  down 
into  the  valley  and  has  the  recommendation  of  very 
much  shortening  the  route.  We  must  seek  it." 

Eugenie  still  hesitated,  but  the  absolute  impossi- 
bility of  walking  over  the  half -flooded  highway, 
rendered  still  more  impassable  by  carriage  ruts,  left 
her  no  choice.  She  followed  her  husband,  who  at 
once  turned  to  the  left,  and  a  few  minutes  later  the 
deep  dark  green  of  the  firs  embraced  them  both. 


116  GOOD  LUCK. 

There  was  a  possibility  of  passing  over  the  roots 
and  mosses  of  this  forest  floor,  at  least  for  unspoiled 
feet.  For  a  gentleman  and  a  lady  accustomed  only 
to  the  parquet  of  the  salon,  for  whose  use  at  every 
little  jaunt  coaches  and  saddle-horses  stood  ready, 
and  whose  only  walks  had  been  limited  to  a  ramble 
through  the  park  in  fine  weather,  this  route  offered 
difficulties  enough  ;  and  besides  —  this  cloudy, 
stormy  day.  The  rain  had  ceased,  but  the  whole 
region  dripped  with  moisture  and  the  clouds  threat- 
ened at  any  moment  to  send  down  a  new  shower. 
Over  an  hour's  distance  from  home,  in  the  midst  of 
the  forest,  -through  which  they  must  wander  at 
random  like  a  pair  of  adventurers,  without  carriage 
or  servant,  without  the  slightest  protection  against 
wind  and  rain,  it  was  indeed  a  situation  strange  as 
desperate  for  Arthur  Berkow  and  his  high-born 
consort. 

The  young  woman,  with  her  usual  resolution, 
yielded  to  the  inevitable.  After  the  first  ten  steps 
she  had  seen  the  impossibility  of  rescuing  her  light 
silk  dress  and  white  burnous,  and  quietly  yielding 
both  a  prey  to  the  wet  moss  and  dripping  trees,  she 
marched  courageously  onward.  But  her  toilet, 
little  designed  for  an  excursion  like  this,  was  slight 
protection  from  the  weather.  Shivering,  she  drew 
the  white  cashmere  wrap  about  her  and  shuddered 
involuntarily  as  the  cold  blasts  swept  past. 

Her  husband  remarked  this  and  paused.  In  his 
effeminacy  he  had  thrown  a  cloak  around  him  for 
protection,  even  in  the  close  carriage.  Now  he 


GOOD  LUCK.  117 

silently  took  off  the  cloak  to  place  it  around  his 
wife's  shoulders,  but  with  a  very  decided  gesture 
she  drew  back. 

"  I  thank  you,  I  do  not  need  it." 

"  But  you  are  taking  cold." 

"  Oh,  no !  not  at  all.  I  am  not  so  susceptible  to 
the  weather  as  you  are." 

Without  a  word  Arthur  took  back  the  cloak,  but 
he  did  not  put  it  on  again  ;  he  threw  it  negligently 
over  his  arm  and  in  his  light  society  dress  walked 
by  her  side.  Eugenie  repressed  her  rising  vexation. 
She  scarce  knew  herself  why  this  conduct  so  wound- 
ed her,  but  she  would  far  rather  have  seen  Arthur 
carefully  guard  his  precious  health  by  enveloping 
himself  in  the  cloak  she  had  so  disdainfully  rejected 
than  thus  recklessly  expose  himself  to  wind  and 
weather. 

A  calm,  deliberate  submission  to  the  inevitable 
was  her  business.  She  could  not  comprehend  how 
her  husband  had  assumed  this  right,  and  least  of  all 
could  she  comprehend  how  he,  who  had  at  first  been 
horrified  at  the  bare  idea  of  this  forest  promenade, 
now  seemed  not  at  all  to  feel  its  inconveniences, 
while  she  already  half-repented  her  resolution. 

A  gust  of  wind  tore  the  hat  from  Arthur's  head 
and  blew  it  down  a  declivity  from  whose  depths  he 
could  not  recover  it.  Unmoved  he  gazed  after  the 
fugitive,  and  with  an  almost  defiant  gesture  threw 
back  his  long  brown  hair.  His  feet  at  every  step 
sank  deep  in  the  wet  moss,  and  yet  to  Eugenie  his 
step  had  never  before  seemed  so  firm  and  elastic. 


118  GOOD  LUCK. 

The  further  he  pressed  into  the  green  forest  re- 
cesses the  more  his  manner  lost  its  wonted  listless- 
ness.  His  usually  drooping  eyes  glanced  sharply 
around  to  find  the  path  they  sought.  The  damp, 
gloomy  forest  really  seemed  to  have  an  enlivening 
influence  upon  him,  in  such  deep  draughts  did  he 
inhale  the  strong  aromatic  odor  of  the  firs,  so 
rapidly  did  he  lead  his  young  wife  under  their  rus- 
tling tops.  Suddenly  he  paused  and  cried  out  almost 
triumphantly : 

"  There  is*the  path !" 

They  saw  before  them  a  narrow  foot-path  which 
led  straight  through  the  forest,  seeming  to  lose  it- 
self in  the  distance.  Eugenie  gazed  in  surprise  at 
her  husband.  She  certainly  had  not  believed  that 
he  would  prove  a  safe  guide,  and  had  quite  made 
up  her  mind  that  they  should  be  lost  in  the  wood. 

"You  seem  well  acquainted  with  this  region," 
she  said  as  she  trod  the  path  by  his  side. 

Arthur  smiled,  but  this  smile  was  not  for  her ;  it 
was  for  the  surroundings,  which  he  now  carefully 
scanned. 

"  I  ought  to  know  my  woods,"  he  said.  "  We  are 
old  friends,  though  it  is  a  long,  long  time  since  we 
have  met." 

Eugenie  lifted  her  head  in  astonishment.  This 
tone  she  had  never  heard  from  his  lips :  there  lay 
within  it  deep,  repressed  feeling,  which  as  it  were 
betrayed  itself  in  his  voice. 

"  Do  you  love  the  forest  so  much  ?"  she  asked, 
involuntarily  prolonging  a  conversation  which 


GOOD  LUCK.  119 

would  otherwise  have  ended  in  the  usual  silence. 
"Why,  then,  during  this  whole  four  weeks  have 
you  not  entered  it?" 

Arthur  did  not  answer.  He  se'emed  to  be  dream- 
ing, and  his  glance  lost  itself  in  the  green,  mist- 
veiled  depths. 

"  Why  /"  he  at  length  replied  sullenly.  "  I  do 
not  know.  Perhaps  I  was  too  lazy.  One  at  length 
unlearns  all  in  your  Residence,  especially  the  long- 
ing for  his  woodland  solitudes." 

"  In  my  Residence  ?  I  thought  you  were  the 
same  as  reared  there." 

"  Certainly !  only  with  this  difference :  my  life 
ended  when  my  so-called  education  began.  All 
that  had  any  value  in  life  for  me  I  left  behind  me 
when  I  entered  those  walls ;  for  my  early,  sunny 
boyhood  years  were  the  only  ones  worth  living." 

It  was  a  half-sad,  half-resentful  tone  in  which  he 
uttered  the  words.  But  in  Eugenie's  soul  the  old 
bitterness  again  welled  up.  How  dared  he  speak  of 
sacrifice  and  renunciation?  What  could  he  know 
of  these?  For  her,  too,  all  happiness  had  ended 
with  her  childhood  years ;  for  her,  with  her  en- 
trance into  society  had  begun  that  ascending  scale 
of  cares,  humiliations,  and  despair  which  to  her,  as 
the  confidante  of  her  father,  the  one  initiated  into 
all  the  family  secrets,  had  been  the  bitter  school 
that,  while  it  had  steeled  her  character,  had  also 
robbed  her  of  all  the  joys  of  youth.  How  different 
had  been  her  husband's  position — his  past  life ! 
And  he  spoke  of  these  as  of  misfortunes  ! 


120  GOOD  LUCK. 

Arthur  seemed  to  read  these  thoughts  in  her  face 
as  he  turned  to  push  aside  a  hanging  bough  which 
would  have  brushed  against  her. 

"  You  think  I,  of  all,  have  least  reason  to  com- 
plain. Very  likely.  At  least,  I  have  always  been 

told  I  have  an  enviable  existence.     But  I  assure 

* 

you  it  is  sometimes  desperately  barren  and  comfort- 
less— such  a  life,  where  Fortune  showers  all  her 
gifts  at  your  feet  and  where  you  tread  these  gifts 
under  your  feet  because  you  really  do  not  know 
what  else  to  do  with  them ;  so  barren  and  comfort- 
less that  you  sometimes  feel  as  if,  at  any  price,  you 
would  break  away  from  this  gilded  happiness,  even 
though  it  were  to  go  out  into  storm  and  tempest !" 

Eugenie's  dark  eyes  hung  in  speechless  astonish- 
ment upon  his  face,  and  a  sudden  fiery  glow 
mounted  to  his  forehead.  The  young  husband 
seemed  all  at  once  to  realize  that  he  had  been 
guilty  of  the  unpardonable  crime  of  betraying  emo- 
tion in  the  presence  of  his  wife.  He  frowned  and 
threw  a  malicious  glance  upon  the  forest,  which 
had  led  him  to  this  outbreak  of  feeling ;  but  the 
very  next  second  he  fell  quite  back  into  the  old 
llase  manner. 

"  We  really  have  more  of  storm  and  tempest  than 
is  agreeable,"  he  said  carelessly,  turning  his  back  to 
Eugenie  as  he  strode  onward.  "  The  winds  rage 
fearfully  on  that  bare  hill  up  there.  We  must  wait 
until  the  worst  is  over :  we  cannot  go  down  now." 

In  fact,  as  they  emerged  from  the  wood  the  storm 
met  them,  and  so  terrible  was  its  might  that  they 


GOOD  LUCK.  121 

could  scarce  stand  upon  their  feet.  It  was  evidently 
impossible  to  go  on  in  the  path,  which  now  led  ab- 
ruptly down  into  the  open  valley  ;  there  was  dan- 
ger of  being  seized  by  the  wind  and  hurled  into  the 
depths  below.  So  nothing  remained  but  to  wait 
here  in  the  protection  of  the  trees  until  there  should 
be  a  lull  in  the  tempest. 

They  stood  under  a  giant  fir  which  towered  up 
at  the  forest's  edge.  The  storm  shook  those  green 
arms  the  tree  outspread  to  protect  these  two  who 
had  sought  its  shelter,  and  they  swayed  sighing  up 
and  down ;  but  the  firm  gray  trunk  still  offered  a 
stay  and  a  refuge  for  Eugenie,  who  leaned  against 
it.  In  case  of  need  there  might  have  been  room- 
for  two  persons,  but  they  would  have  had  to  press 
close  together ;  and  it  was  probably  this  considera- 
tion which  decided  Arthur  to  remain  standing  some 
steps  from  her,  although  he  was  only  partially 
shielded,  and  the  swaying  branches  rained  down 

«.-  o 

upon  him  abundant  drops  from  the  last  shower. 
His  hair  fluttered  in  the  wind  and  the  drops  ran 
down  from  his  uncovered  forehead.  Still  he  did 
not  make  the  slightest  effort  to  change  his  place, 

"  Will  you — would  you  not  rather  come  here  T 
asked  Eugenie  hesitatingly,  while  she  moved  a  little 
to  one  side  to  give  him  room  upon  the  only  dry 
place. 

"  Thank  you !  I  would  prefer  not  to  annoy  you 
by  my  nearness." 

"  Well,  at  least  put  on  your  cloak." 

This  time  there  was  a  sound  as  of  entreaty  in  her 
voice. 


122  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  You  will  be  quite  wet  through." 

"Never  mind.  I  am  not  so  susceptible  to  the 
weather  as  you  suppose." 

The  young  woman  bit  her  lips.  It  is  not  pleas- 
ant to  be  repulsed  with  your  own  weapons,  but 
more  than  all  else  it  angered  her — this  contempt 
with  which  he  let  the  whole  fury  of  the  storm  break 
over  him,  just  to  give  her  a  lesson.  She  really 
thought  this  contempt  indescribably  ridiculous. 
She  certainly  could  not  suffer  from  it,  and  it  was  a 
matter  of  indifference  to  her  whether  he  took  cold 
and  got  sick  or  not ;  but  it  enraged  her  to  see  him 
stand  there  so  calmly  and  maintain  his  place  in  the 
midst  of  the  storm,  perhaps  with  difficulty,  but  still 
to  maintain  it — he  who  half  an  hour  ago,  sleepy 
and  shivering,  had  reclined  amid  the  cushions  of 
the  luxurious  coach  and  seemed  to  recoil  from  every 
breath  of  air  that  passed  through  the  glass  win- 
dows. Did  he  really  need  storm  and  tempest  to 
prove  to  her  that  he  was  not  quite  the  weakling 
she  had  deemed  him  ? 

Arthur  meantime  did  not  look  as  if  he  cared  to 
prove  anything ;  he  seemed  to  have  quite  forgotten 
her  presence.  With  folded  arms  he  stood  there  and 
gazed  up  to  the  wooded  mountains,  the  greater  por- 
tion of  which  were  visible  from  this  height.  Slowly 
his  eyes  swept  from  one  summit  to  another,  and  as 
they  did  so  Eugenie  made  the  surprising  discovery 
that  her  husband  had  very  handsome  eyes.  This 
was  indeed  a  surprise,  for  hitherto  she  had  only 
known  that  there,  under  those  half-closed  lids,  rested 


GOOD  LUCK.  123 

something  indolent  and  sleepy,  and  she  had  never 
taken  the  trouble  to  observe. 

If  he  chanced  to  look  up  it  had  always  been 
slowly,  lazily,  as  if  the  glance  cost  him  infinite 
trouble  and  was  not  worth  the  exertion.  And  yet 
this  glance  was  well  worth  seeing.  Judging  from 
the  expression  of  the  face,  one  would  have  supposed 
that  under  those  sunken  lids  lay  a  dull,  cold  blue 
eye,  but  in  truth  there  glowed  an  eye  of  a  deep 
dark  brown,  indolent  and  lifeless  as  yet ;  still  one 
knew  that  these  eyes  could  flame  up  in  energy  and 
passion.  It  was  as  if  a  world,  long-since  sunken 
and  forgotten,  lay  imprisoned  beneath  this  veiled 
glance,  awaiting  only  its  appointed  hour  to  again 
emerge  from  the  abyss. 

Again  in  this  young  wife's  soul  rose  tremulously 
the  consciousness  she  had  already  felt  while  in  the 
forest — the  certainty  that  the  father  had  sinned 
infinitely  in  the  education  of  this  son — sinned  past 
all  atonement. 

They  stood,  both  solitary,  up  there  on  the  hill. 
A  veil  of  mist  la}7  over  the  forest,  enveloping  it  in 
dense  gray  shadows,  which  now  climbed  up  the 
dark  firs,  now  in  fluttering  streamers  waved  from 
their  tops,  and  now,  ghost-like,  flitted  along  the 
ground.  And  the  same  cloudy  veil  swayed  and 
fluttered  around  the  mountains  yonder  ;  the  mists 
now  dissolving,  now  rolling  themselves  together, 
afar  up  on  those  dusky  summits  and  down  in  the 
steaming  valleys.  There  was  an  endless  ebbing 
and  flowing,  a  falling  and  rising :  one  moment  it 


124  GOOD  LUCK. 

seemed  as  if  mountain  and  forest  would  open  to 
their  lowest  recesses  ;  the  next  as  if  they  would 
veil  their  secrets  from  every  mortal  eye. 

All  around  raged  the  storm,  plowing  into  these 
century-old  firs  as  into  a  corn-field.  Groaning,  the 
giant  trunks  swayed  to  and  fro ;  sighing,  their 
stately  tops  bowed  and  bent,  while  above  them  lay 
the  gray  clouds  in  yawning,  shapeless  masses  or 
swept  onward  in  wild,  disorderly  flight.  It  was  a 
storm  such  as  has  birth  only  in  the  bosom  of  the 
mountains ;  and  yet  it  was  a  spring  storm  which 
raved  and  roared  around  those  far-off  heights. 

Upon  these  blustering  pinions  come  the  spring. 
Not  sunny  and  smiling  as  down  in  the  valleys,  but 
rough,  grim,  and  terrible.  But  it  was  still  the 
spring's  breath  which  swayed  the  storm,  the  spring's 
salutation  which  rang  out  above  all  this  riot. 

In  a  spring  storm,  wild  even  as  this,  there  lies  a 
promise  of  sunny  days  to  come — of  the  flowers  and 
perfume  that  will  ere  Jong  gladden  the  earth  ;  a 
presage  of  that  mighty  creative  life  already 
struggling  to  bring  up  its  thousand  germs  to  the 
light.  And  they  hear  the  call  and  answer  it — these 
roaring  forests,  these  rushing  brooks,  these  steaming 
valleys.  In  this  roaring  and  foaming  and  raging 
still  rings  out  the  triumph  shout  of  Nature,  who 
has  now  thrown  off  the  last  fetters  of  winter — her 
cry  of  joy  that  hails  the  approaching  deliverer: 
"  The  spring  is  coining  /" 

It  is  something  mysterious,  such  an  hour  of 
spring,  and  the  myths  of  the  mountains  lend  it  their 


GOOD  LUCK.  125 

own  romantic  spell.  They  tell  of  the  mountain 
spirit  who  then  strides  on  through  his  kingdom  and 
whose  might  in  such  an  hour,  blessing  or  cursing, 
passes  into  the  life  of  the  mortal  who  lingers  in  this 
kingdom.  Whatever  there  unites  is  united  forever ; 
whatever  there  separates  is  separated  for  all 
eternity.  They  needed  no  outward  union,  ,hese 
two  up  on  the  hill  yonder ;  they  were  united  by  the 
strongest  bond  that  can  make  two  mortals  one ; 
and  yet  they  stood  so  far  apart!  They  were  as 
much  strangers  to  each  other  as  if  a  world  lay 
between  them. 

The  silence  had  endured  a  long  time.  Eugenie 
was  the  first  to  break  it. 

"Arthur!" 

He  started  as  if  from  awakening  and  turned  to 
her. 

"  What  is  your  wish  ?" 

"  It  is  so  cold  up  here !  Will  you  not — lend  me 
your  cloak  ?" 

A  flush  passed  over  the  young  man's  face  as  in 
speechless  surprise  he  glanced  up  to  her.  He  knew 
that  this  proud  woman  would  rather  have  frozen  in 
the  icy  blasts  than  thus  condescend  to  ask  for  the 
covering  she  had  scornfully  rejected,  and  yet  she 
did  so  in  a  hesitating  tone,  with  downcast  eyes,  as 
if  confessing  a  wrong. 

The  next  moment  he  was  near  her  with  the  cloak. 
She  stood  silent  while  he  wrapped  it  around  her 
shoulders,  but  as  he  was  about  to  turn  back  to  his 
place  she  gave  him  a  mute,  reproachful  glance. 


126  GOOD  LUCK 

Arthur  seemed  to  hesitate  for  a  moment,  but  con- 
scious that  this  glance  had  been  almost  the  same  as 
an  entreaty,  he  conquered  his  obstinacy  and  re- 
mained at  her  side. 

From  the  valley  rose  a  dense  cloudy  wall,  shut- 
ting closely  around  these  two  as  if  it  would  rivet 
them  to  this  spot.  Mountain  and  forest  vanished 
in  the  gray  vapor ;  but  the  fir  rose  giant-like  above 
it  and  gazed  down  at  these  two  mortals  who 
had  fled  for  protection  to  its  arms.  Over  them 
swayed  and  rustled  the  dark  boughs  with  their 
thousand  strange,  mysterious  voices,  between  which 
resounded  the  fuller  accords  of  the  forest.  It  was 
fearfully  oppressive  in  this  fog :  this  swaying  and 
rustling  had  an  unearthly  tone.  Eugenie  started 
up  suddenly,  as  if  she  must  break  loose  from  a 
danger  whose  meshes  were  tightening  all  around 
her. 

"  The  fog  keeps  growing  thicker,"  she  said,  as  if 
oppressed  by  its  weight,  "  and  the  weather  more 
uncomfortable.  Do  you  believe  that  any  danger  is 
at  hand  ?" 

Arthur  glanced  up  at  the  swaying  masses  of 
vapor  and  stroked  the  drops  from  his  hair. 

"  I  am  not  enough  acquainted  with  our  mountains 
to  know  how  dangerous  these  storms  may  be,"  he 
said.  "And  even  if  there  were  danger,  would  you 
fear?" 

"  I  am  not  timid  ;  and  yet  one  always  fears  when 
life  is  in  peril." 

"Always?      I   thought   the  life  we.  had  been 


GOOD  LUCK.  127 

leading  for  these  four  weeks  was  not  of  that  sort 
to  cause  one  to  tremble  when  it  was  in  danger — 
least  of  all  you  /" 

The  young  wife  cast  down  her  eyes. 

'  So  far  as  I  am  aware,  I  have  not  troubled  you 
with  any  complaints,"  she  said  softly. 

"Oh,  no!  You  certainly  give  utterance  to  no 
complaints.  If  you  could  only  as  well  keep  back 
the  pallor  from  your  cheeks  as  the  complaints  from 
your  lips !  You  would  like  to  do  so,  but  there  your 
strength  of  will  founders.  Do  you  believe  that  it 
gives  me  such  great  pleasure  to  see  my  wife  silently 
fading  at  my  side  because  destiny  has  forced  her  to 
this  side  ?"  * 

Now  it  was  Eugenie's  face  that  was  covered 
with  deep,  glowing  lushes ;  but  it  was  not  the 
reproach  in  his  words  which  had  sent  this  glow  to 
her  cheeks — it  was  the  strange  words  he  for  the  first 
time  had  used  in  speaking  of  her.  " My  wife"  he 
had  said.  Yes,  she  was  indeed  married  to  him,  but 
it  had  never  yet  occurred  to  her  that  he  had  the 
right  to  call  her  his  wife. 

"  Why  do  you  again  touch  upon  this  topic  ?"  she 
asked  evasively.  ''  I  hoped  that  with  that  first 
necessary  explanation  all  was  forever  arranged 
between  us." 

"  Because  you  seem  to  cherish  the  delusion  that  I 
will  all  your  life  keep  you  in  these  fetters,  which 
surely  are  quite  as  oppressive  to  me  as  they  can 
possibly  be  to  you." 

His  voice  was  icy  cold,  and  yet  Eugenie  glanced 


128  GOOD  LUCK. 

quickly  up  to  him  without  being  able  to  read  the 
slightest  thing  in  his  face.  Why  did  he  always  veil 
those  eyes  when  she  strove  to  look  into  them? 
"Would  they  not  answer  her  or  did  they  fear  her  ? 

"  You  speak  of  a — separation  ?" 

"  Do  you  think  I  could  regard  a  lasting  marriage 
between  us  as  possible  after  that  expression  of— 
high  esteem  which  that  first  evening  I  was  forced  to 
hear  from  your  lips  ?" 

Eugenie  was  silent.  Over  her  head  swayed  and 
rustled  still  the  green  arms  of  the  fir  tree;  the 
forest  voices  warningly  and  threateningly  called 
down  to  this  wedded  pair  about  to  utter  the  word 
of  life-long  separation  ;  but  neither  would  heed  the 
warning. 

"  We  are  not  at  liberty  to  v  aive  all  outward  con- 
siderations," continued  Arthur  in  the  same  tone. 
"  Your  father  and  mine  are  too  well  known  in  their 
circle,  our  marriage  caused  too  great  a  sensation,  to 
be  dissolved  at  once,  without  giving  the  Residence 
inexhaustible  material  for  gossip,  of  which  we 
should  be  the  ridiculous  hero  and  heroine.  People 
do  not  without  scandal  separate  after  a  twenty-four 
hours'  marriage ;  neither  after  a  week  or  a  month. 
For  the  sake  of  the  proprieties  they  endure  a  year 
of  each  other's  society,  and  then,  with  some  ap- 
pearance of  truth,  declare  that  their  characters  are 
incompatible.  I  hope  we  too  shall  be  able  to  live 
together  that  length  of  time,  but  our  strength  for 
the  task  does  not  seem  to  be  increasing.  If  things 
go  on  as  they  are  we  shall  both  sink  beneath  it." 


GOOD  LUCK  129 

The  arm  which  the  young  woman  had  twined 
around  the  trunk  of  the  tree  slightly  trembled,  but 
her  voice  was  very  firm  as  she  replied  : 

"When  I  have  once  undertaken  a  task  I  do  not 
succumb  so  easily ;  and  as  for  you,  I  do  not  believe 
you  have  any  special  sensibility  to  the  miseries  of 
this  life  we  live  together." 

His  eyes  flashed.  It  was  again  that  quick, 
lightning-like  coruscation  which  came  and  went, 
leaving  no  trace  behind.  The  eyes  were  dead  and 
expressionless  as  ever  when,  after  a  brief  pause,  he 
answered : 

"  You  really  do  not  believe  that  ?  Ah  ?  "Well, 
my  sensibilities  have  nothing  to  do  with  the  matter. 
I  should  not  have  touched  upon  this  subject  if  I 
had  not  seen  the  necessity  of  giving  you  the  satis- 
faction of  knowing  that  our  marriage  will  be  dis- 
solved as  soon  as,  with  a  due  regard  to  the  world, 
will  be  possible.  Perhaps  I  shall  not  now  see  you 
so  pale  as  in  these  last  days,  and  perhaps  you  will 
now  believe,  what  you  have  hitherto  regarded  as  a 
falsehood,  that  I  had  no  suspicion  of  those  machina- 
tions which  won  for  me  by  force  a  hand  which  I 
supposed  freely  given." 

"  I  believe  you,  Arthur,"  said  she  softly  ;  "  now  I 
believe  you." 

Arthur  smiled,  but  it  was  a  smile  of  infinite  bit- 
terness with  which  he  received  this  first  proof  of 
the  confidence  of  his  wife  in  the  moment  when  he 
renounced  her. 

"The  fog  begins  to  clear,"  he    said,   "and  the 


130  GOOD  LUCK. 

storm,  for  a  few  minutes  at  least,  seems  to  have 
subsided.  We  must  hasten  down  into  the  valley. 
There  we  are  sheltered  and  can  very  soon  reach  the 
farm,  where  it  is  to  be  hoped  we  can  procure  a  car- 
riage. Will  you  follow  me  ?" 

The  path  was  steep  and  slippery,  but  Arthur  to- 
day seemed  determined  to  belie  his  whole  nature. 
He  strode  firmly  and  securely  down  the  hill,  while 
Eugenie,  in  her  thin  shoes  and  long  dress  and  still 
more  hindered  in  her  motions  by  the  cloak,  made 
but  slight  progress.  Arthur  saw  that  he  must  come 
to  her  help,  but  a  mere  offer  of  the  arm  would  not 
answer.  To  really  aid  her  he  must  carry  her ;  and 
this — would  not  do. 

This  husband  hesitated  about  offering  his  wife  an 
attention  he  would  at  once  have  offered  to  any 
other  lady,  and  what  any  stranger  under  the  cir- 
cumstances would  have  accepted  unhesitatingly,  this 
wife  hesitated  to  accept  from  her  husband.  She 
trembled  slightly  as,  after  a  brief  delay,  he  took  her 
in  his  arms. 

Neither  spoke  a  word  during  the  ten  minutes' 
walk,  but  Eugenie's  face  grew  paler  at  every  step. 
It  seemed  as  if  she  could  not  endure  that  this  arm 
should  be  around  her;  that  she  must  lean  against 
this  shoulder,  so  near  that  his  breath  touched  her ; 
and  yet  as  much  as  possible  he  lightened  the  pain- 
fulness  of  the  situation.  Not  a  single  glance  did  he 
give  her;  his  whole  attention  seemed  engrossed  by 
the  path  ;  and  certainly  great  care  and  circumspec- 
tion were  demanded  to  avoid  slipping  down.  But 


GOOD  LUCR.  m 

in  spite  of  all  this  repose  the  young  man's  lips 
again  showed  that  treacherous  quiver,  and  as,  when 
they  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  with  a  deep 
breath  of  relief  he  set  down  his  unwilling  burden, 
one  could  have  plainly  seen  that  during  this  strange 
descent  he  had  been  anything  but  calm. 

The  farm  buildings  already  glimmered  through 
the  trees,  and  hastily,  as  if  at  any  price  they  must 
cut  short  this  time  of  being  left  to  themselves,  both 
took  the  path  thither.  Above  them  still  raged  the 
spring  storm,  and  up  on  the  hill  the  mists  lay  thick 
around  the  fir  at  the  forest's  edge,  the  tree  which 
had  protectingly  folded  its  arms  around  them  in 
that  hour,  of  which  the  old  myth  of  the  moun- 
tain says :  "  What  here  unites  is  united  forever, 
and  whatsoever  here  separates  is  separated  for  all 
eternity  i 


132  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

HERB  BERKOW  having  arrived  while  Arthur  and 
his  wife  were  in  the  forest  met  them  on  their  return. 
He  seemed  to  have  lost  that  exultant  mood  which 
he  had  brought  with  him  on  his  former  visit,  when 
in  his  first  flush  of  triumph  over  the  new  aristo- 
cratic relationship. 

He  was,  as  usual,  exceedingly  polite  to  his 
daughter-in-law  and  boundlessly  indulgent  to  his 
son,  but  his  manner  was  hasty,  restless,  and  absent. 
This  manner,  although  plainly  visible  that  first 
evening,  was  still  more  noticeable  the  next  morning 
when  Arthur  entered  his  apartment  and  requested 
an  interview. 

"  At  some  other  time,  Arthur,"  he  said  evasively. 
"  Do  not  annoy  me  now  with  trifles  when  my  head 
is  full  of  serious  things.  Money  and  business  mat- 
ters in  the  Residence  are  giving  me  endless  trouble : 
all  is  loss  and  stagnation.  But  you  understand 
nothing  of  this  and  it  cannot  interest  you.  I  shall 
bring  things  back  to  the  old  routine,  but  I  must  beg 
you  just  now  to  spare  me  a  recital  of  your  private 
affairs." 

"  It  is  no  private  affair ;  the  matter  is  of  the 
deepest  importance  to  you.  I  am  sorry  that  when 


GOOD  LVVK.  133 

you  are  so  overwhelmed  with  business  I  really  must 
claim  an  hour  of  your  time,  but  it  cannot  be  other- 
wise." 

"Well,  then,  after  dinner!"  exclaimed  Berkow 
impatiently.  "  You  can  wait,  and  I  have  no  time 
now.  The  officers  already  await  me  in  the  con- 
ference chamber,  and  I  have  promised  the  chief 
engineer  to  drive  out  with  him  after  the  con- 
ference." 

"  To  drive  out  ?"  asked  Arthur.  "  You  will  then 
inspect  the  mines  ?" 

"  No.  I  will  inspect  the  alterations  which  have 
been  made  in  the  elevators  during  my  absence. 
What  could  I  do  in  the  mines  ?" 

"  I  believed  that  you  would  some  time  personally 
convince  yourself  if  things  are  really  as  bad  down 
there  as  they  say." 

Berkow,  who  was  just  ready  to  go,  turned  sud- 
denly and  gazed  at  his  son  in  utter  astonishment. 

"  What  do  you  know  about  the  mines  ?  Who  has 
put  this  into  your  head  ?  It  seems  that  the  director, 
finding  I  would  not  listen  to  his  demand  for  money 
for  repairs,  turned  to  my  son.  He  went  to  the 
right  person,  truly !" 

He  laughed  aloud,  without  noticing  the  expression 
of  displeasure  in  Arthur's  face  as  he  returned 
sharply : 

"  But  still  an  examination  must  be  made  as  to  how 
far  these  repairs  are  necessary  ;  and  if  you  would 
only  go  down  with  the  engineer  you  could  give  the 
shafts  a  passing  inspection." 


134  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  I  shall  be  careful  not  to  do  that,"  replied  Ber- 
kow.  "Do  you  think  I  want  to  risk  ray  life \ 
There  is  no  doubt  that  things  are  dangerous  in  their 
present  state." 

'•'  And  still  you  send  hundreds  of  workmen  down 
daily  r 

The  tone  of  the  question  was  peculiar — so  pe- 
culiar that  the  father  frowned. 

"  Would  you  give  me  a  moral  lecture,  Arthur  ?  I 
think  this  must  sound  rather  strange  from  your 
mouth.  You  seem,  in  the  dullness  of  your  stay  in 
the  country,  to  have  taken  to  philanthrop}^.  Have 
done  with  that :  in  our  circumstances  it  is  a  very 
expensive  passion.  I  certainly  shall  take  care  that 
in  case  of  accident  no  loss  may  accrue  to  me,  which 
would  be  very  inconvenient  just  now.  What  is 
absolutely  necessary  will  be  done,  but  I  have  no 
money  for  extensive  repairs.  And  besides,  I  cannot 
allow  the  works  to  stop  even  for  the  shortest  time. 
To  enable  me  to  do  this  you  must  want  far  less 
money  than  in  those  days  just  before  your  mar- 
riage. I  really  cannot  understand  why  you  all  at 
once  begin  to  trouble  yourself  about  matters  of 
which  you  are  entirely  ignorant.  Give  your  mind 
rather  to  the  furnishing  of  your  parlors,  to  your 
winter  soirees  in  the  Residence,  and  leave  to  me  the 
care  and  responsibility  in  matters  of  which  you  do 
not  know  the  slightest  thing." 

"No,  papa,  not  the  slightest!"  emphasized  the 
young  man,  with  rising  bitterness.  "  For  that  you 
certainly  have  cared. " 


GOOD  LUCK.  135 

"  I  really  believe  you  would  reproach  me !"  cried 
Berkow  excitedly.  "  Have  you  not  tasted  all  the 
joys  of  life  ?  Have  I  shunned  any  sacrifice  to  se- 
cure you  these  in  fullest  measure  ?  Shall  I  not  leave 
you  riches — I  who  began  the  world  without  a  penny  ? 
Have  I  not  through  this  marriage  to  the  Baroness 
Windeg  gained  you  admission  to  the  circles  of  the 
nobility,  to  which  you  will  sooner  or  later  belong  ? 
I  would  like  to  see  the  father  who  has  done  so  much 
for  his  son  as  I !" 

During  this  whole  speech  Arthur  had  gazed 
silently  out  of  the  window.  Now  he  turned  to  go. 

"  You  are  quite  right,  papa,"  he  said  ;  "  but  I  see 
that  you  have  neither  time  nor  patience  to  listen  to 
what  I  intended  to  say  to  you.  Let  it  be  after 
dinner,  then." 

He  went ;  and  Berkow,  shaking  his  head,  gazed 
after  him.  His  son  of  late  had  sometimes  become 
quite  incomprehensible  to  him.  But  he  had  no  time 
to  think  of  this,  so  he  hastily  closed  his  writing- 
desk,  took  his  hat,  and  passed  over  to  the  confer- 
ence chamber  with  an  air  that  foreboded  no  good 
to  the  waiting  officers. 

Meantime  the  miners  had  gathered  at  the  shaft, 
ready  to  descend  to  the  second  stint  for  the  day. 
All  were  waiting  for  the  overseer-in  chief,  who  had 
not  as  yet  made  his  appearance.  They  were  men 
of  all  ages — men  skilled  in  every  sort  of  work  that 
miners  know,  but  most  were  grouped  around  Ulrich 
Hartmann,  who,  with  his  foot  planted  upon  the  lad- 
der and  his  arms  folded,  though  he  was  for  the 


136  GOOD  LUCK 

moment  silent,  seemed  undeniably  the  leader  of  all. 
He  could  not  have  been  making  a  formal  ha- 
rangue ;  for  this  neither  time  nor  place  were  suited  ; 
but  even  in  this  short  chance  interview  the  speech 
seemed  to  be  of  matters  which  now  formed  the 
principal  topic  among  the  workmen. 

"  Give  it  up,  Ulrich  ;  they  will  not  join  us  from 
the  other  works,"  said  the  young  miner  Lorenz, 
who  stood  near  Hartmann.  "  They  think  it  is  too 
soon  for  them ;  they  are  not  prepared ;  in  short, 
they  have  no  wish  to  join  us,  but  will  wait  and  see 
how  matters  turn  out." 

Ulrich  threw  back  his  head  in  scorn. 

"  Well,  for  all  I  care  we  will  go  on  alone.  We 
have  no  time  to  lose." 

There  was  a  movement  of  surprise  among  the 
workmen. 

"  Alone  ?  "  asked  some.  "  Without  our  com- 
rades ?"  added  the  others ;  and  the  majority,  with 
an  anxious  expression,  repeated,  "  Now  f  Right 
away  ?" 

"  Now,  say  I !"  cried  Ulrich  emphatically  and  im- 
periously, while  he  threw  a  defiant  glance  around 
him.  "If  any  of  you  is  of  another  opinion,  say 
so!" 

Not  an  inconsiderable  portion  of  those  present 
seemed  to  be  of  another  opinion,  still  none  ventured 
any  decided  opposition  ;  but  Lorenz  said  gravely  : 

"  But  you  yourself  think  it  would  be  better  if  all 
the  works  around  us  stopped  at  once." 

"Is  it  my  fault  that  they  wait  and  wait  until  our 


GOOD  LUCK.  IS?1 

patience  is  at  an  end  ?"  asked  Ulrich  hastily.  "If 
they  are  determined  to  wait,  we  cannot :  that  they 
know  right  well.  They  want  to  send  us  on  ahead 
into  the  fire,  to  see  how  the  battle  turns  out  with 
us.  True  comradeship  that!  Well,  we  will  fight 
it  out  without  them." 

"And  do  you  reallv   believe  that  he" — Lorenz 

•/  v 

glanced  in  the  direction  of  the  chiefs  house — "  that 
he  will  yield  ?" 

"  He  must"  replied  Ulrich  decidedly,  "  or  he  is 
ruined.  Even  now  some  of  his  speculations  are 
turning  out  badly.  Besides,  he  must  pay  all  his 
son's  debts,  and  the  new  city  residence  will  cost 
well  on  to  the  hundred  thousands.  If  the  works 
should  lie  idle  now,  just  now,  when  the  large  con- 
tracts are  closed,  then  there  would  be  an  end  to  his 
magnificence.  Two  years  ago,  perhaps,  he  might 
have  borne  up  through  all :  now  he  cannot.  We 
shall  win  the  day  if  we  threaten  him." 

"  God  grant  that  we  may  really  win  the  day !" 
sighed  one  of  the  miners,  an  elderly  man,  with  pale, 
shrunken  face  and  troubled  air.  "  But  it  would  be 
dreadful  if  we  took  all  this  want  and  anxiety  upon 
us  for  nothing,  and  for  weeks  long  starved  with  our 
wives  and  children,  only  at  last  to  have  things  re- 
main as  of  old.  If  we  should  wait  until  our  com- 
rades  " 

"  Ah,  yes,  if  we  wait  for  the  others,"  here  and 
there  a  voice  ventured  to  suggest. 

"  Senseless  babble,  and  no  end  !"  broke  out  Ulrich 
wildly.  "  I  tell  you  that  now,  right  away,  is  the 


138  GOOD  LUCK. 

best  time ;  and  we  will  go  on.     Will  you  go  with 
me  or  will  you  not  ?     Answer !" 

"  But  do  not  be  so  hasty,"  said  Lorenz  appeas- 
ingly.  "  You  know  we  all  go  with  you,  no  matter 
how  far  it  is  ;  let  them  on  the  other  works  do  as 
they  will.  We  are  united ;  no  one  will  leave  you 
in  the  decisive  hour." 

"  I  would  advise  no  one  to  remain  behind  if  things 
become  serious,"  said  Ulrich,  darting  a  morose, 
threatening  glance  to  that  corner  whence  the  oppo- 
sition had  come.  "  Then  we  could  endure  no  cow- 
ardice ;  then  each  must  stand  by  the  other,  and 
woe  to  him  who  does  it  not !" 

The  young  leader,  in  this  despotic  manner,  seemed 
to  possess  the  most  effective  weapon  with  his  com- 
rades, to  stifle  every  rising  germ  of  contradiction. 
His  few  opposers,  without  exception  elderly  men, 
were  silent ;  while  the  others,  especially  the  young- 
er, with  loud  cheers  pressed  around  Hartmann,  who 
more  calmly  added  : 

"  But  now  there  is  no  time  to  discuss  matters. 
This  evening  we  will— 

"  The  overseer !"  interrupted  several  voices, 
while  all  eyes  turned  to  the  door. 

"  Disperse  !"  commanded  Ulrich,  and  obedient  to 
the  order  the  crowd  dispersed.  Each  took  his 
miner's  lamp,  which  he  had  just  laid  aside. 

The  chief  overseer,  who  rather  unexpectedly  en- 
tered, must  have  seen  the  hastily  dispersing  throng ; 
perhaps  he  had  heard  the  command,  for  he  gazed 
searchingly  around. 


GOOD  LUCK.  139 

"  You  seem  to  hold  your  comrades  under  excel- 
lent control,  Hartmann,"  he  said  coolly. 

"Rather  so,  Herr  Overseer-in-chief,"  replied 
Ulrich  in  the  same  tone. 

To  the  chief  overseer,  as  well  as  to  the  other 
officers,  the  plots  of  the  workmen  were  no  longer  a 
secret,  but  he  pretended  to  have  seen  and  heard 
nothing  and  continued  indifferently  : 

"  Herr  Berkow  is  coming  with  the  engineer  to 
inspect  the  elevator.  You  and  Lorenz  are  to  re- 
main at  the  foot-way  shaft  until  the  gentlemen 
again  emerge  to  the  light  of  day.  Steiger  Wilm 
can  attend  to  your  men  until  they  return." 

Ulrich  gave  a  silent  acquiescence  to  the  order 
and  remained  back  with  Lorenz,  while  the  others, 
under  the  lead  of  the  chief  overseer,  went  down. 
But  as  the  last  of  his  comrades  vanished  the  young 
miner  turned  resentfully  away. 

"  Cowards  they  are,  the  whole  of  them !"  he 
muttered  fiercely,  "  who  cannot  stir  from  their  place 
by  reason  of  their  irresolution  and  timidity.  They 
know  as  well  as  I  that  we  ought  to  avail  ourselves 
of  this  very  hour ;  and  yet  they  will  not  go  for- 
ward because  they  are  alone — because  the  others 
will  not  stand  by  them.  It  is  a  lucky  thing  that  we 
have  Berkow  against  us  and  no  other.  If  he  were 
a  politic  man,  who  at  the  right  time  showed  us  his 
teeth  and  at  the  right  time  gave  us  good  words,  we 
could  bring  nothing  to  pass."' 

"  Do  you  think  he  will  do  nothing,  then?"  asked 
Lorenz  somewhat  distrustfully. 


140  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  No ;  he  is  cowardly  like  all  tyrants.  He  swag- 
gers and  threatens  while  he  has  the  upper  hand, 
but  if  his  skin  or  his  gold-sacks  were  in  danger  he 
would  crawl  on  his  hands  and  knees.  He  has  made 
himself  so  thoroughly  detested,  he  has  so  goaded 
the  miners  to  extremities,  that  at  last  not  one  will 
remain  behind.  Then  it  will  be  well ;  then  we  shall 
have  him  in  our  hands." 

"  And  the  young  gentleman — do  you  think  he 
will  take  no  part  when  the  riot  breaks  loose  ?" 

An  expression  of  undisguised  contempt  played 
around  Ulrich's  mouth  as  he  scornfully  replied : 

"  He  counts  for  nothing.  At  the  very  first  alarm 
he  will  run  back  to  the  city  for  safety.  If  we  had 
to  do  with  him  it  would  be  sooner  over.  He  says 
yes  to  all  if  one  threatens  not  to  let  him  sleep  on. 
The  father  will  give  us  more  to  do." 

"He  will  inspect  the  elevator,"  said  Lorenz 
thoughtfully.  "  Will  he  also  go  into  the  mines  ?" 

Ulrich  laughed  bitterly. 

"  What  are  you  thinking  of  ?  We  must  daily  risk 
our  lives  down  there :  it  is  well  enough  for  us,  but 
the  chief  remains  in  the  foot-way  shaft.  I  wish  I 
could  have  him  once  alone  with  me,  eye  to  eye :  he 
should  teach  me  that  trembling  we  must  so  often 
go  through  with  below/' 

The  young  man's  glance  and  tone  were  so  wild,  so 
filled  with  the  deepest  hatred,  that  his  far  more 
moderate  companion  was  driven  to  silence,  and  for 
a  time  the  conversation  ended.  There  was  a  long 
pause.  Hartmann  had  stepped  to  a  window  and 


GOOD  LUCK.  141 

was  gazing  out  impatiently,  when  all  at  once  he  felt 
a  hand  on  his  shoulder,  and  Lorenz  stood  at  his  side, 

"  I  wish  to  ask  you  something,  Ulrich,"  he  began 
hesitatingly.  "  You  will  tell  me  if  I  beg  you  to. 
How  do  you  stand  with  Martha  ?" 

Some  moments  passed  before  Ulrich  answered. 

"  I  with  Martha  ?     Must  you  know  that  ?" 

The  young  miner  cast  down  his  eyes. 

"  You  know  that  long  as  I  have  followed  the  girl 
she  has  never  liked  me,  because  she — liked  another. 
Well,  I  cannot  really  blame  her  for  it " — his  glance, 
with  a  sort  of  painful  admiration,  rested  upon  bis 
friend — "  and  if  it  is  really  true  that  you  stand  in 
my  way,  then  I  must  drive  the  thing  from  my  head. 
But  tell  me  frankly,  are  you  lovers  ?" 

"No,  Carl,"  replied  Ulrich  sullenly  ;  "  we  are  not 
lovers  and  never  shall  be.  That  we  both  know.  I 
do  not  stand  in  your  way  with  the  girl,  and  I  be- 
lieve she  will  marry  you  if  you  ask  her." 

A  gleam  of  joy  passed  over  the  young  man's  face 
as  he  asked  quickly  : 

"  Do  you  really  mean  it  ?  If  you  say  it  it  must 
be  so,  and  I  will  try  my  luck  that  way  this  very 
evening." 

Ulrich  frowned. 

"  This  evening  9  Do  you  think  it  of  no  conse- 
quence that  we  are  to  have  a  consultation  to-night 
and  that  you  belong  with  us  and  not  with  the  craft 
of  wooers  ?  But  you  are  not  a  whit  better  than  the 
others.  Now  that  we  are  about  to  go  into  the  tight, 
your  head  is  full  of  your  love-affairs ;  when  everv 


142  GOOD  LUCK. 

man  should  be  glad  he  has  neither  wife  nor  child, 
you  think  of  marrying !  I  am  out  of  patience  with 
you  all !" 

"  But  I  must  ask  Martha,"  declared  Lorenz  apolo- 
getically, "  and  if  she  really  says  yes  it  will  still  be 
a  long  while  before  our  marriage.  Hartmann,  you 
do  not  know  how  it  is  with  one  who  loves  that  he 
cannot  possess — how  it  wrings  his  heart  day  by  day 
to  see  another  with  his  chosen  one — another  who 
has  only  to  reach  forth  his  hand  after  that  for 
which  he  would  give  his  life  and  yet  cannot  grasp. 
You " 

"  Stop,  Carl !"  interrupted  Ulrich,  with  trembling 
lips,  while  he  let  his  clinched  hand  fall  so  violently 
that  it  threatened  the  wood-work  of  the  window. 
"  Go  to  Martha  ;  marry  her  if  you  will ;  but  speak 
to  me  no  more  of  such  things.  I  will  not,  I  cannot 
hear  it !" 

The  young  miner  gazed  in  astonishment  at  his 
friend;  he  could  not  understand  this  agitation — this 
wild  renunciation — as  he  must  have  given  up  the 
girl  of  his  own  free  will.  But  there  was  no  time  to 
ponder  over  the  matter,  for  at  this  moment  Ber- 
kow's  sharp  voice  was  heard  outside.  In  a  most 
ungracious  voice  he  said  to  the  officers  who  accom- 
panied him : 

"  I  beg  most  emphatically,  gentlemen,  to  hear  no 
more  of  this.  The  old  ventilators  have  done  service 
for  a  long  time  and  no  accident  has  happened;  they 
must  still  answer.  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with 
these  costly  repairs  you  are  pleased  to  declare 


GOOD  LUCK.  143 

necessary  because  they  do  not  come  out  of  your 
pockets.  Do  you  think  I  wish  to  found  here  a 
model  philanthropic  institution  ?  The  working  ca- 
pabilities must  be  increased,  and  the  sum  required 
for  that  will  be  granted— nothing  more.  If  the 
miners  are  in  danger  I  cannot  help  it ;  they  earn 
their  bread  in  this  way.  1  cannot  throw  away 
money  to  secure  a  few  miners  and  upstarts  from 
accident  that  may  possibly  happen  to  them,  but 
which  up  to  this  time  has  not  happened.  The  re- 
pairs in  the  mines  will  be  limited  to  things  abso- 
lutely needed  to  increase  their  capabilities,  and  this 
I  tell  you  once  for  all." 

He  flung  open  the  door  of  the  shed  and  seemed 
unpleasantly  surprised  to  find  the  two  miners,  whom 
he  had  not  supposed  to  be  here,  and  who  must  have 
heard  his  last  words.  Still  more  unpleasant  seemed 
their  presence  to  the  chief  engineer. 

"  Hartmann,  what  are  you  doing  up  here?"  he 
asked  roughly  as  he  entered. 

"  The  chief  overseer  told  us  we  must  accompany 
the  gentlemen  into  the  foot- way  shaft,"  answered 
Ulrich,  without  turning  his  glowing  eyes  from  Ber- 
kow. 

The  chief  engineer  shrugged  his  shoulders  and 
turned  to  Berkow  with  an  air  which  plainly  said, 
"  He  might  have  chosen  another  for  this  service." 
But  he  made  no  remark. 

"  Very  well !"  said  Berkow  curtly.  "  Go  ahead 
and  we  will  follow.  '  Glilck  auff  " 

Both  miners  obeyed,  but  when  out  of  sight  of  the 
gentlemen  Lorenz  paused  for  a  moment. 


144  GOOD  LUCK. 

"Ulrich!" 

"  What  do  you  wish  3" 

"Did  you  hear?" 

"  That  he  cannot  throw  away  a  few  thousands  to 
secure  the  lives  of  his  miners,  but  that  the  working 
capacity  of  the  mines  shall  be  increased  by  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  ?  Well,  no  one  is  safe  here  in 
these  depths,  and  he  goes  down  to-day.  We  will 
wait  and  see  whose  turn  comes  first !  Go  on,  Carl !" 

It  seemed  as  if,  with  the  storm  of  the  day  before, 
the  long-awaited  spring  had  won  by  force  her  king- 
dom. There  had  been  a  magic  change  in  the 
weather  during  the  night.  Fog  and  clouds  had 
vanished,  leaving  no  trace,  and  with  them  wind  and 
cold.  The  hills,  now  clearly  visible,  were  flooded 
with  sunshine,  and  around  them  floated  the  breath 
of  the  warm,  delicious  air.  One  could  at  last  in- 
dulge a  hope  that  the  incessant  rain  and  tempest 
of  the  last  few  weeks  was  over  and  would  be  fol- 
lowed by  a  long,  bright  spring  and  golden  summer. 

Eugenie  had  stepped  to  the  balcony  and  was  gaz- 
out  into  the  now,  at  last,  unveiled  landscape.  Her 
eyes  thoughtfully  and  dreamily  rested  upon  the 
hills  yonder.  Perhaps  she  thought  of  that  dark 
hour  yesterday  upon  the  height ;  perhaps  there  yet 
toned  in  her  ears  the  rustling  and  sighing  of  the 
green  fir  boughs  ;  but  the  remembrance  was  quickly 
and  forcibly  broken  by  the  sound  of  a  post-horn  very 
near.  Immediately  after  an  extra  post-chaise  halted 
below  the  terrace,  and  with  a  cry  of  jo}7  and  sur- 
prise the  young  woman  flew  from  the  balcony. 


GOOD  LUCK.  U5 

"  My  father !" 

It  was  indeed  Baron  Windeg  \vho  quickly  stepped 
from  the  coach  and  entered  the  house.  His  daugh- 
ter was  already  upon  the  steps  to  receive  him.  It 
was  their  first  meeting  since  her  marmage,  and  in 
spite  of  the  presence  of  the  two  servants,  who  came 
rushing  in  to  receive  the  distinguished  guest,  the 
father  clasped  his  child  in  his  arms  just  as  passion- 
ately as  on  the  evening  of  her  wedding-day,  when 
in  her  riding-dress  she  had  bidden  him  adieu.  The 
young  woman  at  length  gently  loosed  herself  from 
his  embrace  and  withdrew  with  him  into  her  favor- 
ite apartment,  the  little  blue  salon. 

"  What  a  surprise,  papa  !"  said  Eugenie,  still  beam- 
ing with  joy  and  excitement.  "  I  had  no  presenti- 
ment of  this  visit  from  you." 

The  baron,  his  arm  still  around  her,  sat  down 
with  her  on  the  sofa. 

"  It  was  not  contemplated,  my  child.  A  journey 
led  me  into  this  region,  and  I  could  and  would  not 
shun  the  circuitous  route  of  a  few  hours  which  would 
bring  me  to  you." 

"  A  journey  ?"  Eugenie  gazed  questioningly  into 
her  father's  face,  and  his  eyes  rested  searchingly 
upon  her  features,  as  if  he  would  there  read  the 
history  of  the  weeks  since  she  left  him  ;  but  now,  as 
her  glance  fell  upon  the  hat  he  still  held  in  his  left 
hand,  she  turned  pale  with  terror. 

"  For  God's  sake,  papa,  what  means  this  mourn- 
ing band  ?  My  brothers  ?" 

"  Are  well  and  send  you  hearty  greeting,"  said 


146  GOOD  LUCK. 

the  baron  consolingly.  "  Do  not  be  alarmed,  my 
child !  For  those  you  love  you  need  not  tremble. 
A  melancholy  event  has  happened — one  which 
nearly  concerns  our  family  ;  and  yet  I  may  well  say 
that  we  can  none  of  us  lay  it  to  heart.  Soon  I  will 
tell  you  all.  But  now  you  must  relate  to  me " 

"  No,  no  !"  interrupted  Eugenie  impatiently.  "  I 
must  first  know  what  this  crape  means.  Whom 
have  we  to  mourn  ?" 

Windeg  set  the  hat  with  its  mourning  band  to 
one  side  and  folded  his  arms  close  around  his  daugh- 
ter. There  was  something  painful,  convulsive,  in 
the  tenderness  with  which  he  pressed  her  to  his 
heart. 

"  I  am  on  a  journey  to  pay  the  lust  honors  to  our 
Cousin  Rabenau.  His  estates  lie  in  this  province." 

Eugenie  started.   "  Count  Rabenau  ?    The  heir  ?" 

" Is  dead,"  added  the  baron  emphatically.  "In 
the  fullness  of  life  and  of  health,  a  few  weeks  be- 
fore his  intended  marriage — certainly  no  one  could 
have  foreseen  this." 

Eugenie  had  become  deathly  white ;  the  tidings 
did  not  touch  her  heart,  and  yet  she  was  fearfully 
excited.  She  said  not  a  word,  but  her  father  seemed 
to  comprehend  her  emotion. 

"  You  know  we  were  for  a  long  time  estranged," 
he  continued  sadly.  "  I  could  not  tolerate  Rabe- 
nau's  rough,  wild  ways,  and  I  shall  never  forget  the 
cruel  repulsion  I  was  forced  to  receive  from  him  six 
months  ago.  He  could  have  rescued  us  had  he 
wished  ;  it  would  have  been  an  easy  thing  for  him ; 


GOOD  LUCK.  147 

but  he  roughly  and  harshly  repelled  me.  Now  he 
is  dead — dead  without  heirs.  I  succeed  to  the 
property  now  when  it  is  too  late — now  when  I  have 
sacrificed  my  child." 

There  lay  a  convulsive  sorrow  in  these  words. 
Eugenie  strove  to  control  her  feelings,  and  in  a  few 
minutes  she  succeeded. 

"Oh,  papa,  you  need  not  think  of  me!  I — I 
breathe  lightly  at  the  thought  that  you  will  have  so 
abundant  a  recompense  for  the  humiliations  you 
have  suffered,  but  the  suddenness,  the  unexpectedness 
of  this  news  overcame  me.  We  could  never  have 
hoped  for  the  heirship." 

"  Never !"  said  the  baron  mournfully.  "  Rabenau 
was  young  and  healthy ;  he  was  about  to  marry. 
Who  could  have  dreamed  that  he  would  be  stricken 
down  by  a  three  days' illness?  But  if  his  death 
was  decreed,  why,  why  could  it  not  have  happened 
sooner  ?  Four  weeks  ago  it  would  have  helped  us ; 
a  fourth  part  of  the  wealth  now  flowing  in  upon  me 
would  have  saved  us.  I  could  have  given  back  his 
money  to  that  villain  who  plunged  us  into  misfor- 
tune— his  money  which  he  demanded,  with  a 
hundredfold  usury,  and  have  needed  not  that  my 
only  daughter  should  be  its  price.  I  accepted  your 
sacrifice,  Eugenie,  God  knows,  not  of  my  own  free 
will ;  it  was  for  my  name,  for  the  future  of  my  sons. 
But  that  this  whole  bitter  sacrifice  should  have  been 
made  in  vain,  when  a  chance  delay  of  a  few  short 
weeks  might  have  spared  it  to  me — this  mockery  of 
fate  I  cannot  bear !" 


148  GOOD  LUCK. 

He  clasped  passionately  her  hand  in  his,  but  this 
young  woman  had  already  won  back  all  her  pride, 
all  her  self-control.  Fearfully  as  this  "  too  late " 
might  have  moved  her,  one  saw  no  further  trace  of 
suffering. 

"  You  should  not  speak  so,  papa !"  she  returned 
firmly.  "It  would  have  been  a  wrong  to  your 
other  children.  This  death,  which,  knowing  what 
Count  Rabenau  was,  we  can  mourn  only  formally, 
frees  you  from  many  burdens.  My  marriage  avert- 
ed only  the  most  threatening.  There  still  remained 
enough  which  pressed  heavily  upon  us,  which  later 
might  perhaps  have  brought  you  into  humiliating 
dependence  upon  that  man.  This  danger  is  now 
forever  averted.  You  can  repay  all  you  have  re- 
ceived from  him.  We  owe  him  nothing  more." 

"  But  he  owes  you  to  us !"  interrupted  Windeg 
bitterly,  "  and  he  will  guard  against  ever  paying 
this  debt.  That  is  why  this  rescue  galls  me.  A 
short  time  ago  I  should  have  greeted  it  with  trans- 
port ;  now  it  drives  me  to  despair  on  your  account." 

Eugenie  turned  and  bent  low  over  the  flowers 
that  sent  up  their  perfume  from  a  vase  near  her. 

"  I  am  perhaps  not  so  unhappy  as  you  and  my 
brothers  believe,"  she  said  softly. 

"Are  you  not?  Do  you  think  your  letters 
have  deceived  me  ?  I  knew  beforehand  that  you 
would  spare  us,  but  if  a  doubt  had  remained  to 
me  your  paleness  speaks  plainly  enough.  You  are 
unhappy,  Eugenie ;  you  must  be  unhappy  by  the 
side  of  this  man  who " 


GOOD  LUCK.  149 

"  Papa,  you  speak  of  my  husband  !" 

The  young  wife,  as  she  uttered  these  words, 
started  up  so  hastily,  so  passionately,  that  her  fath- 
er recoiled  and  gazed  at  her  in  surprise,  as  much 
astonished  at  her  manner  as  at  the  deep  scarlet 
glow  which  covered  her  face. 

"  Pardon  me !"  he  said.  "  I  can  never  accustom 
myself  to  the  thought  that  my  daughter  belongs  to 
Arthur  Berkow,  and  that  I  am  in  his  house  which 
I  am  forced  to  enter  when  I  would  see  my  child. 
You  are  right.  I  must  spare  your  feelings  when  I 
speak  of  the  man  to  whom  you  are  married,  even 
though  I  see  plainly  enough  how  much  you  have 
suffered  through  him  and  still  suffer." 

The  deep  flush  had  slowly  died  out  from  Eugenie's 
face,  but  a  treacherous  glow  still  remained  as  she 
answered : 

"  You  err.  I  have  no  complaint  to  make  of 
Arthur.  He  has  from  the  first  maintained  a  dis- 
tance for  which  I  can  but  thank  him." 

The  baron's  eyes  flashed. 

"  I  would  not  advise  him  or  his  father  to  forget 
the  respect  they  owe  you — to  fail  in  appreciating 
the  honor  you  have  brought  to  their  house,  where 
hitherto  much  honor  has  not  been  found.  But, 
Eugenie,  I  can  at  least  offer  you  one  consolation. 
You  will  not  long  bear  the  name  to  which  attaches 
so  much  vulgarity,  so  much  villainy  against  us  and 
others.  None  the  less  villainy  because  the  law 
cannot  punish  it.  I  have  taken  care  that  this 
plebeian  title  shall  not  much  longer  annoy  you." 


150  GOOD  LUCK. 

Eugenie  looked  at  her  father  in  surprise. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  these  words?"  she 
asked. 

"I  have  entered  upon  the  necessary  steps  for 
your" — the  baron  had  to  make  a  powerful  effort  at 
self-mastery  before  he  could  utter  that  word — 
"your  husband's  elevation  to  the  nobility.  Only 
his  elevation — not  his  father's.  Berkow  I  would 
not  recognize,  even  formally,  as  belonging  to  our 
rank.  A  change  of  name  very  often  accompanies 
such  a  dignity,  and  it  will  in  this  case.  You  can 
choose  among  your  estates  whatever  name  seems  to 
you  most  fitting  for  the  new,  noble  race." 

"  For  the  new,  noble  race  !"  repeated  Eugenie  in 
a  hollow  voice.  "  Build  no  hopes  upon  that,  papa  ; 
and  if  you  wish  this  title  of  nobility  on  my  account 
you  err — still  you  are  right,  and  in  any  event  it  is 
best.  The  title  of  nobility  will  amply  compensate 
Arthur  for  all  he  must  renounce." 

There  was  an  expression  of  overpowering  bitter- 
ness in  these  words,  and  yet  through  all  this  bitter- 
ness pulsated  a  half-repressed  sorrow  ;  for  Windeg, 
one  was  as  incomprehensible  as  the  other.  His 
daughter's  words  remained  enigmatical  to  him.  He 
was  just  about  asking  an  explanation,  when  a  serv- 
ant announced  the  young  Herr  Berkow,  who  had 
come  to  greet  the  baron. 

Arthur  entered  and  approached  his  father-in-law 
with  some  polite  commonplaces  in  regard  to  this 
agreeable  but  unexpected  visit,  and  then  he  relapsed 
into  his  usual  languor  and  indifference.  It  was  evi- 


GOOD  LUCK  161 

dent  enough  that  he  only  sought  to  perform  that 
imperative  duty  of  politeness  which  bade  him  wel- 
come his  father-in-law.  The  baron  seemed  to  quite 
ignore  the  necessity  of  this  welcome.  As  now  no 
strangers  were  present,  the  formality  of  shaking 
hands  was  omitted  and  gave  place  to  a  cold  bow  on 
either  side.  The  older  gentleman  then  sat  down  by 
his  daughter,  and  the  younger  remained  standing 
by  his  chair,  with  the  evident  intention  of  leaving 
as  soon  as  possible. 

Windeg,  perfect  man  of  the  world  that  he  was, 
in  spite  of  the  exciting  conversation  he  had  just 
carried  on  with  Eugenie,  at  once  resumed  his  society 
manner.  The  usual  questions  and  answers  in  regard 
to  the  various  members  of  the  family  followed. 
The  demise  of  Count  Kabenau  was  announced,  and 
very  formally  deplored  by  Arthur,  who  certainly 
had  no  suspicion  of  the  change  this  demise  had 
made  in  the  circumstances  of  his  new  relatives. 
At  length  the  baron  passed  to  another  theme. 

"  I  bring  other  tidings  from  the  Residence,  which 
for  you,  Herr  Berkow,  must  be  of  the  highest  inter- 
est," he  said  complacently.  "  I  may  well  assume 
that  the  wish  of  your  father  in  regard  to  an  eleva- 
tion of  rank  has  been  no  secret  to  you,  and  I  can 
assure  you  that  its  fulfillment  is  at  hand.  In  one 
point  of  view  there  are  certainly  insuperable  ob- 
stacles— there  are  certain  prejudices  against  the 
elder  Herr  Berkow  personally  which  can  scarce  be 
surmounted  ;  but  the  powers  that  be  are  quite  ready 
to  distinguish  one  of  our  first  industrial  proprietors 


152  GOOD  LUCK. 

by  conferring  a  title  upon  his  son.  I  hope  in  a 
short  time  to  be  able  to  congratulate  you." 

Arthur  had  listened  without  the  least  change  of 
manner.  Now  he  lifted  his  eyes,  and  immediately 
Eugenie's  glance,  with  an  interest  she  herself  could 
not  define,  was  fixed  upon  those  eyes.  And  yet  in 
them  one  could  not  read  the  slightest  thing. 

"  May  I  ask,  Herr  Baron,  if  in  this  transaction 
you  have  been  governed  solely  by  the  wishes  of  my 
father  or  by  consideration  for  your  daughter  ?" 

Baron  Windeg  struggled  with  a  slight  embarrass- 
ment. He  had  certainly  reckoned  upon  thanks, 
and  instead  came  this  strange  question. 

"  When  this  union  had  been  once  decided  upon 
your  father's  wish  and  mine  became  the  same,"  he 
replied  constrainedly.  "  But  I  did  not  at  that  time 
conceal  from  Herr  Berkow  my  opinion  concerning 
his  personal  claims  to  that  dignity,  and  I  received 
from  him  the  assurance  that  if  necessit}^  required  he 
would  renounce  the  honor  in  favor  of  his  son,  to 
whom  by  this  step  only  he  could  secure  a  brilliant 
future." 

"  Then  I  regret  that  my  father  did  not  inform  me 
of  the  progress  of  an  affair  which  I  regarded  only 
as  an  undeveloped  plan,"  said  Arthur  coolly. 
"  And  I  still  more  regret,  Herr  Baron,  that  you 
have  used  your  influence  to  secure  for  me  an  honor 
which  I  must  absolutely  decline." 

The  baron  sprang  from  his  seat  and  gazed  at  his 
son-in-law  with  staring  eyes. 

"  Pardon  me,  Herr  Berkow  !  I  might  not  have 
heard  distinctly.  I  thought  you  spoke  of  declining.'1 


ooon  LUCK.  153 

"  Of  declining  the  title  if  offered  me — yes,  Herr 
Baron !" 

Wind.eg  .quite  lost  his  self-possession,  a  thing 
which  very  seldom  happened. 

"  Well,  then,  I  must  entreat  you  to  give  me  the 
reasons  for  this,  to  say  the  least,  strange  refusal. 
I  have  the  greatest  curiosity  to  know." 

Arthur  glanced  over  at  his  wife.  She  had 
started  involuntarily  at  his  words,  and  a  deep,  hot 
flush  again  overspread  her  cheeks.  Their  eyes  met 
and  for  an  instant  rested  on  each  other,  but  the 
young  man  did  not  seem  to  imbibe  much  humilit}T 
from  this  glance,  for  his  voice  had  a  decided  dash  of 
scorn  as  he  replied  : 

"  The  strangeness  lies  less  in  my  declining  than 
in  the  manner  of  the  offering.  If  a  title  of  nobility 
had  been  decreed  to  my  father  on  account  of  the 
service  he  has  undeniably  rendered  to  industry,  as 
his  heir  I  should,  in  any  event,  have  accepted  it. 
It  is,  like  any  other  title,  a  distinction,  and  as  such 
honorable.  They  have  not  thought  best  to  confer 
it  on  him,  and  I  naturally  am  no  judge  of  the  prej- 
udices they  may  have  against  him.  But  for  my 
own  part  I  have  not  the  slightest  claim  to  such  a  dig- 
nity, and  I  therefore  deem  it  better  not  to  let  the 
Residence  assert  that  an  alliance  with  the  Windeg 
family  must,  as  a  natural  consequence,  be  followed 
by  a  diploma  of  nobility." 

He  had  thrown  out  these  last  words  very  indiffer- 
ently, and  yet  Eugenie  angrily  compressed  her  lips ; 
she  knew  that  they  were  designed  solely  for  her. 


154  GOOD  LUCK. 

Would  he  really  break  free  from  all  that  could  give 
her  the  right  to  despise  him  ?  And  now  more  than 
ever  she  felt  the  wish  to  despise  him. 

"  I  seem  to  have  erred  in  regard  to  the  reasons 
which  led  you  to  desire  this  relationship,"  said  the 
baron  deliberately,  "  but  I  must  confess  that  I  con- 
sider these  ideas  of  very  recent  date  with  you  ;  for 
before  your  marriage  your  views  were  entirely 
different." 

"  Before  my  marriage !"  An  endlessly  bitter 
smile  played  around  Arthur's  lips.  "  Then  I  had 
not  learned,  Herr  Baron,  how  your  circle  regarded 
myself  and  my  relations  to  that  circle.  Since,  in 
rather  a  merciless  way,  all  this  has  been  made  clear 
to  me,  and  you  cannot  be  surprised  if  I  decline 
henceforth  and  forever  to  be  considered  an  unbid- 
den intruder  into  that  circle." 

Eugenie's  fingers  here  clasped  so  tightly  the  rose 
she  had  taken  from  the  vase  that  the  delicate 
flower  suffered  the  same  fate  the  fan  had  a  little 
time  before  met  in  Arthur's  hands.  It  fell  crushed 
upon  the  carpet.  Arthur  did  not  remark  this.  He 
had  almost  turned  his  back  to  her  and  was  facing 
her  father,  who  gazed  at  him  with  an  expression 
which  seemed  to  ask  if  this  was  really  Arthur 
Berkow,  his  son-in-law. 

"  I  have  no  conceivable  idea  who  has  thus  been 
exaggerating  matters  to  you,"  returned  the  baron 
gravely,  "  but  I  must  beg  you  to  have  some  regard 
for  Eugenie.  In  the  role  which  you  expect  to  play 
next  winter  in  the  Residence  she  cannot — pardon 


GOOD  LUCK  155 

me,  Herr  Berkow — wear  your  plebeian  name. 
That  was  neither  your  father's  intention  nor  my 
own." 

Arthur  fixed  a  long,  lowering  gaze  upon  his  wife. 
Much  as  she  was  naturally  inclined  to  assert  her 
opinion  and  her  will,  she  had  taken  no  part  in  this 
conversation. 

"  By  winter  circumstances  may  be  entirely  differ- 
ent from  what  we  now  dream.  Leave  that  to 
Eugenie  and  me.  For  the  present,  nothing  remains 
to  be  said  but  that  I  persist  in  1113'  refusal.  As  the 
honor  was  intended  for  me  alone,  I  alone  have  the 
right  to  accept  or  to  decline  it,  and  I  decline  abso- 
lutely a  distinction  which — pardon  me,  Herr  Baron 
—I  will  not  owe  to  the  aristocratic  name  of  my 
wife!" 

Windeg  rose,  deeply  offended. 

"  Then  nothing  remains  to  me  but  to  recall,  hastily 
as  possible,  the  steps  already  taken  in  this  affair,  so 
that  I  may  become  no  more  compromised  than  I 
am  at  present.  Eugenie,  you  are  absolutely  silent. 
What  have  you  to  say  in  regard  to  the  views  you 
have  just  heard  expressed  by  your  husband  ?" 

Answer  was  to  be  spared  the  young  wife,  for  at 
this  moment  the  door  opened — not  gently  as  usual 
by  a  servant — it  was  hastily  flung  open,  and  with- 
out announcement,  with  an  ashy  white  face  and  an 
entire  neglect  of  all  those  forms  he  was  wont  so 
punctiliously  to  observe,  in  rushed  Herr  Wilberg. 

"  Is  Herr  Berkow  here?  I  beg  your  ladyship's 
pardon — I  must  this  moment  speak  with  Herr 
Berkow  I" 


156  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  What  has  happened  ?"  asked  Arthur,  advancing 
to  meet  the  young  man,  whose  agitated  face  be- 
trayed him  a  messenger  of  ill. 

"  An  accident !"  gasped  Wilberg  breathlessly. 
"  Down  in  the  foot-way  shaft.  Your  father  is  badly 
injured — very  badly — the  director  sent  me " 

He  had  time  to  say  no  more,  for  Arthur  had 
already  hurried  past  him  and  was  outside  the  door. 
The  young  officer  was  about  to  follow,  when  the 
baron  detained  him  in  the  outer  corridor. 

"  Have  you  told  the  son  the  whole  truth  ?"  he 
asked  gravely.  "With  me  you  need  conceal 
nothing.  Is  Herr  Berkow  dead  ?" 

"Yes,"  broke  forth  Wilberg.  "He  was  coming 
up  with  the  Steiger  Hartmann ;  the  rope  broke. 
Hartmann  saved  himself  by  a  spring  upon  the  last 
platform  but  one.  Herr  Berkow  fell  to  the  bottom. 
No  one  knows  how  the  accident  happened,  but  it 
can  no  longer  be  kept  secret.  Inform  her  ladyship, 
Herr  Baron.  I  must  go !" 

He  hastened  after  Arthur,  while  Windeg  turned 
back  to  the  parlor,  where,  in  breathless  excitement, 
Eugenie  met  him. 

"  What  have  you  learned,  papa?  Wilberg's  face 
spoke  of  more  than  a  mere  injury.  What  has  hap- 
pened ?" 

"The  worst!"  replied  the  baron,  trembling. 
"  We  have  just  been  bitterly  arraigning  this  man, 
Eugenie.  Now  there  is  an  end  of  hatred  and 
hostility  between  us  and  him.  Death  has  can- 
celed all," 


GOOD  LUCK.  15? 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  first  week  with  its  melancholy  rites  was  over, 
but  that  undefined  oppression  which  lies  upon 
every  house  of  mourning  had  not  lifted  ;  it  seemed 
only  the  more  heavy  now  that  the  excitement  of 
the  funeral  arrangements  was  over. 

There  had  been  no  lack  in  manifestations  of  out- 
ward sympathy.  Berkow's  position,  his  extensive 
acquaintance  and  connection  with  various  circles, 
had  made  his  death  a  notable  event.  The  funeral 
cortege,  which  naturally  had  included  the  officers 
and  the  whole  body  of  miners,  had  seemed  inter- 
minable. Visiting-cards  and  letters  of  condolence 
in  countless  number  covered  the  young  heir's  writ- 
ing-table, while  his  wife  received  calls  from  all  the 
family  acquaintances  far  and  near.  They  were 
shown  every  possible  attention — more  than  Berkow 
in  his  lifetime  could  ever  have  dreamed  of.  In 
their  case,  to  use  Baron  "Windeg's  diplomatic  phrase, 
people  had  no  "  prejudices"  to  overcome. 

But  this  loss  touched  no  living  heart — seemingly 
not  even  that  of  the  dead  man' s  only  child,  for 
whom  he  had  done  so  much.  It  is  difficult  to  love 
one  for  whom  we  feel  no  respect.  None  could  tell, 
however,  whether  Arthur  Berkow  had  been  deeply 


158  GOOD  LUCK. 

or  only  superficially  moved  by  his  father's  death. 
His  entire  composure  seemed  to  indicate  the  latter, 
and  yet  since  this  catastrophe  he  had  been  terribly 
in  earnest,  and  inaccessible  to  all  save  those  with 
whom  he  had  the  most  urgent  business. 

None  who  knew  the  immediate  circumstances 
could  wonder  at  Eugenie's  entire  composure.  With 
her,  as  well  as  with  her  father,  hatred  had  ceased  at 
Berkow's  death ;  they  had  never  pretended  to  any 
other  sentiment ;  and  this  stand  had  unfortunately 
been  taken  by  many,  for  there  was  only  too  much 
reason  for  it. 

The  officers  had  often  been  galled  by  the  brutal, 
haughty  treatment  of  this  parvenu,  who  regarded 
their  knowledge  and  capabilities  only  as  a  sort  of 
merchandise  which  stood  at  his  absolute  disposal 
when  he  had  paid  its  price — too  often  to  mourn  a 
chief  who  had  shown  no  respect  for  ability  or 
character,  but  only  for  the  capacity  of  studying  his 
advantage  and  doing  the  most  to  advance  his  inter- 
ests. 

Still  worse  had  he  been  with  the  workmen.  To- 
ward them  he  had  shown  an  utter  want  of  feeling, 
without  one  impulse  of  compassion,  one  spark  of 
sympathy. 

But,  as  we  have  before  said,  Berkow  was  an 
industrial  genius  of  the  first  rank.  He  had  raised 
himself  from  poverty  and  obscurit}'  to  wealth  and 
influence.  He  had  called  into  life  business  activities 
which  could  rank  among  the  first  in  the  land.  He 
had  won  a  place  in  which  he  might  have  been  a 
blessing  to  thousands. 


GOOD  LUCK  159 

He  had  not  become  this ;  he  had  not  willed  to 
become  it ;  and  so  his  memory  must  be  given  over 
to  that  execration  which  found  vent  in  the  deep 
sigh  of  relief  which  at  his  sudden  death  passed  over 
all  his  estates,  through  all  his  works — in  that  un- 
spoken and  yet  deeply  felt  "  God  be  thanked  /" 

Whether  the  heirship  to  such  a  life — to  all  it  had 
sowed  during  these  ten  years  past — was  really  so 
enviable  a  thing  as  outward  appearances  would 
indicate,  might  well  be  doubtful.  In  any  event, 
this  heirship  rolled  a  burden  of  responsibility  upon 
the  shoulders  of  the  young  heir,  to  which,  accord- 
ing to  general  opinion,  he  was  quite  unequal. 

He  had,  it  is  true,  officers  of  all  grades,  deputies, 
and  attorneys  ready  to  his  call ;  but  the  father  had 
been  accustomed  to  keep  all  these  in  dependence  on 
himself,  to  subject  them  to  his  absolute  control ; 
now  the  hand  and  eye  of  the  master  were  wanting, 
the  master  himself  was  wanting. 

The  son  must  take  the  reins  into  his  own  hand, 
and  while  attempting  to  do  this  he  must  encounter 
the  judgment,  or  rather  the  prejudice,  of  his  depend- 
ents— not  audible,  but  he  saw  in  their  manner,  in 
many  an  expressive  shrug  of  the  shoulder,  that  they 
did  not  at  all  count  upon  him. 

In  the  conference  chamber  the  assembled  officers 
were  awaiting  the  chief,  who  had  summoned  them 
for  this  hour;  but  their  perplexed,  anxious,  and 
agitated  faces  showed  that  the  matter  in  hand  was 
something  more  than  a  formal  greeting  and  in- 
troduction, now  that  the  first  days  of  mourning 
were  over. 


160  GOOD  LUCK. 

"This  is  a  blow,"  said  the  director  to  Herr 
Schaffer — "the  worst  that  could  befall  us.  "We 
knew  long  ago  what  the  men  were  planning  and 
plotting  among  themselves.  It  is  just  the  same  all 
over  the  neighboring  works.  We  saw  it  coming; 
we  took  precautions  against  it ;  but  that  it  should 
be  now,  at  this  very  moment !  That  leaves  us  quite 
at  their  mercy." 

"  Hartmann  has  well  chosen  his  time,"  said  the 
chief  engineer  bitterly.  "  He  very  well  knows  what 
he  can  do,  even  if  he  goes  on  without  aid  from  the 
other  works.  Our  chief  dead,  all  the  business  in 
disorder,  the  young  heir  incapable  of  any  energetic 
measures — now  he  comes  with  his  demands !  I  have 
always  told  you  this  Hartmann  was  a  thorn  in  our 
flesh.  The  workmen  are  naturally  honest  and 
good.  We  cannot  blame  them  for  demanding 
security  for  their  lives  in  the  mines  and  wages  that 
will  keep  them  and  theirs  from  starvation.  They 
have  long  enough  borne  up  under  wrong  and  op- 
pression, but  they  should  have  made  sensible  de- 
mands, such  as  we  could  grant.  What  they  dictate 
under  this  leader  is  past  belief ;  it  is  the  same  as  an 
open  insurrection." 

"But  what  will  the  young  chief  do?*'  asked  Wil- 
berg  in  a  half-whisper.  Among  these  perplexed 
and  anxious  ones,  he  was  the  most  perplexed  and 
anxious  of  all. 

"What  he  must  do  under  the  momentary  cir- 
cumstances," returned  Herr  Schaffer  gravely: 
"grant  their  demands." 


GOOD  LUCK.  161 

"  Begging  your  pardon,  he  cannot  do  that !"  ex- 
claimed the  chief  engineer.  "  That  would  subvert 
all  discipline  and  in  a  year  and  a  day  make  him  a 
ruined  man.  I,  at  least,  shall  not  remain  upon  the 
works  when  this  happens." 

Schaffer  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  And  still  he  has  scarce  any  other  alternative.  I 
have  already  told  you  that  things  with  us  are  by  no 
means  so  prosperous  as  they  seem.  We  have  lat- 
terly had  losses,  very  serious  losses ;  we  shall  be 
obliged  to  cover  deficits  on  all  sides;  to  make 
sacrifices  ;  and  then  there  are  so  many  other  obliga- 
tions— enough,  for  present  returns,  we  are  solely 
dependent  upon  the  works.  Let  them  lie  some 
months  idle,  and  we  could  not  fulfill  our  contracts 
for  this  year,  and  that  would  be  our  ruin." 

"The  miners  must  know  how  matters  stand," 
said  the  chief  enigneer  sullenly,  "  or  they  would  not 
dare  go  on  in  this  way  ;  and  we  are  very  well  aware 
that  concessions  once  made  cannot  be  recalled. 
Hartmann  will  use  every  effort  to  carry  through 
his  plans,  and  when  under  the  compelling  force  of 
circumstances  he  has  gained  his  point—  What  did 
Ilerr  Arthur  say  when  you  informed  him  of  the 
state  of  affairs  ?" 

It  was  strange  that  none  of  the  officers  ever  said 
"  Herr  Berkow  "  or  "  our  chief."  It  seemed  impos- 
sible to  connect  the  young  man's  personality  with 
this  title.  They  always  spoke  of  him  as  "  Herr 
Arthur"  or  "the  young  gentleman."  At  this  last 
question  all  eyes  turned  to  Schaffer. 


162  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  He  said  nothing,"  replied  Schaffer.  " i  I  thank 
you,  Schaffer  ;'  that  was  all.  He  only  took  the 
papers  I  had  carried  with  me  for  his  better  infor- 
mation and  shut  himself  up  with  them.  Since  then 
I  have  not  met  him." 

"  I  spoke  with  him  last  evening  when  I  laid  be- 
fore him  the  demands  of  our  miners,"  said  the 
director.  "  He  grew  pale  as  death  at  the  evil 
tidings ;  then  he  listened  dumbly,  not  returning 
even  a  syllable.  When  I  at  length  ventured  upon 
some  words  of  advice  and  comfort,  thinking  this 
would  surely  lead  to  a  conversation  between  us,  he 
dismissed  me,  saying  he  would  prefer  to  consider 
the  matter  alone.  Just  imagine  Herr  Arthur  con- 
sidering anything !  This  morning  I  received  the 
order  to  summon  you  all  to  a  conference." 

The  old  sarcastic  expression  again  played  around 
Schaffer's  mouth. 

"  I  fear  I  can  tell  you  beforehand  the  result  of 
this  conference  :  '  Grant  all,  gentlemen  ;  yield  un- 
reservedly ;  do  what  you  will :  only  secure  to  me 
the  present  activity  of  the  works  !'  And  then  he 
will  announce  to  you  that  he  and  his  lady  are  about 
to  return  to  the  Residence,  leaving  things  here  to 
go  on  as  Heaven  and  Hartmann  please." 

"But  blow  on  blow  falls  upon  him  now,"  inter- 
posed Wilberg,  who  chivalrously  took  the  part  of 
the  absent.  "  Here  even  a  stronger  man  might  be 
overpowered." 

"  Yes,  it  is  natural  you  would  sympathize  with 
the  weak,"  said  the  chief  engineer  derisively.  "  But 


GOOD  LUCK  163 

of  late  you  have  shown  decided  sympathy  for  the 
opposite.  Herr  Hartraann  has  been  enjoying  your 
most  especial  friendship.  Are  you  still  an  enthusi- 
astic admirer  of  his  ?" 

"  For  God's  sake,  no  !"  cried  Wilberg  with  a 
horrified  expression.  "I  shudder  at  the  sight  of 
that  man  now  since  the  death  of  Herr  Berkow." 

"  So  do  I !"  said  the  chief  engineer  emphatically  ; 
"  and  I  believe  we  all  do.  It  is  terrible  that  we 
must  just  now  deal  with  him,  but  truly  where  there 
are  no  proofs  we  do  best  to  keep  silent." 

"  Do  you  really  believe  in  the  possibility  of  a 
crime  ?"  asked  Schaflfer,  lowering  his  voice.  "  The 
inquest  has  only  established  the  fact  that  the  rope 
was  broken.  It  might  have  become  broken  of  itself  ; 
whether  this  was  really  the  case,  Hartmann  alone 
knows.  As  I  said,  the  inquest  brought  nothing  to 
light ;  and  in  any  other  companionship  there  would 
have  been  no  suspicion.  He  is  capable  of  any- 
thing." 

"  But,  then,  reflect,  he  too  was  in  the  same  danger 
of  losing  his  life.  The  spring  with  which  he 
rescued  himself  was  a  desperate  venture  which  one 
man  in  ten  would  not  have  dared,  and  in  which  the 
tenth  would  not  have  succeeded.  He  must  have 
expected  to  also  fall  back  and  be  dashed  in  pieces." 

The  chief  engineer  shook  his  head. 

"  You  little  know  Ulrich  Hartmann  if  you  believe 
he  would  for  a  moment  hesitate  to  risk  his  life  if  he 
undertook  anything  whereby  that  life  was  in  peril. 
You  were  present  when  he  flung  himself  before 


164  GOOD  LUCK. 

those  horses.  At  that  time  the  whim  seized  him  to 
save  life  ;  but  if  he  wishes  to  destroy,  it  matters 
little  to  him  if  his  own  destruction  threatens.  That 
is  just  the  dangerous  thingf  about  this  man  :  he  has 
no  regard  either  for  himself  or  others.  In  a  case 
of  necessity  he  would  sacrifice  himself  if " 

He  paused  suddenly,  for  at  this  moment  the 
young  chief  entered.  Arthur  was  much  changed. 
The  deep  mourning  suit  made  his  always  pale  face 
seem  paler,  and  his  forehead  and  eyes  indicated  that 
for  these  last  nights  he  had  not  known  sleep  ;  still 
he  calmly  returned  the  greeting  of  the  officers  and 
came  into  their  midst. 

"  I  had  you  summoned,  gentlemen,  to  take  counsel 
with  you  in  business  matters  which  since  my 
father's  death  have  fallen  into  my  hands.  There 
is  much  to  adjust  and  to  change — more,  perhaps, 
than  we  at  first  supposed.  I  have,  as  you  kno\v, 
hitherto  stood  remote  from  business  circles,  and 
shall  not  at  once  see  my  way  clearly ;  although  in 
these  last  days  I  have  sought  to  do  so.  I  reckon, 
therefore,  in  the  fullest  measure  upon  your  good- 
will and  your  readiness  to  sustain  me.  I  shall  be 
obliged  to  lay  much  claim  to  both,  and  beforehand 
assure  you  of  my  thanks." 

The  gentlemen  bowed,  and  surprise  was  plainly 
written  upon  all  faces.  The  engineer  threw  a 
glance  over  to  the  director,  which  seemed  to  say, 
"  So  far  that  was  very  sensible." 

"  All  other  concerns,"  continued  Arthur,  "  must 
recede  before  the  momentary  calamity,  the  danger 


GOOD  LUCK.  165 

with  which  the  demands  of  the  miners  and  cessation 
of  their  work  in  case  of  refusal  threaten  us.  There 
can  be  thought  or  mention  here  of  but  one  decision." 

This  time  it  was  Herr  Schaffer  who  glanced  at 
the  engineer,  as  if  to  say,  "  I  told  you  so !  He  yields 
unreservedly.  Now  he  is  going  to  announce  to  us 
his  departure." 

But  the  young  chief  seemed  in  no  haste  about 
this.  He  said,  on  the  contrary  : 

"  Before  all  things,  we  must  inform  ourselves 
how  the  men  are  organized  and  who  leads  them." 

There  was  a  momentary  silence.  Each  officer 
hesitated  to  utter  a  name  which  had  such  fatal  con- 
nection with  the  late  accident,  but  at  last  the  chief 
engineer  said  : 

"Hartmann  leads  them,  and  there  is  no  doubt 
that  the  organization  is  well  led  and  perfect  in  all 
respects." 

Arthur  glanced  thoughtfully  before  him. 

"  That  I  also  fear ;  and  then  there  will  be  a  fight, 
for  there  can  naturally  be  no  talk  of  granting  these 
demands  in  full." 

"  Naturally  there  can  be  no  talk  of  it,"  repeated 
the  engineer  triumphantly,  and  thereby  gave  the 
signal  for  an  exceedingly  animated  debate,  in 
which  he  stoutly  maintained  his  former  views. 
Herr  Schaffer,  who  took  the  opposite  side  no  less 
valiantly,  exerted  himself  by  all  sorts  of  hints  and 
intimations,  which  the  young  chief  only  too  well 
understood,  to  make  clear  to  him  the  necessity  of 
submission.  The  director  took  neutral  ground. 


166  OOOD  LUCK 

He  advised  waiting  and  diplomacy.  The  other 
officers  let  their  superiors  speak  for  them,  only  now 
and  then  venturing  some  unimportant  remark  or 
modest  opinion. 

Arthur  heard  all  silently  and  attentively,  without 
taking  one  side  or  the  other.  But  as  Schaffer 
closed  a  long  argument  with  an  emphatic  "We 
must"  Arthur  suddenly  lifted  his  head  and  spoke 
with  such  decision  as  to  silence  all  other  opinions. 

"  We  must  not,  Herr  Schaffer !  There  are  other 
than  moneyed  considerations,  the  first  of  all  being 
that  of  my  position  umong  the  miners,  which 
would  be  forever  insecure  if  I  now  yielded  myself 
to  their  mercy.  Little  as  I  understand  such  things, 
I  see  that  these  demands  go  beyond  the  bounds  of 
possibility,  and  you  must  all  agree  with  me  in  this. 
There  may  be  wrongs  and  inconveniences ;  the 
workmen  may  have  reason  for  complaint " 

"Ah,  that  they  have!"  interrupted  the  chief 
engineer  very  decidedly.  "  They  are  right  in  de- 
manding examinations  and  repairs  in  the  mines  and 
an  increase  of  wages.  They  may  also  well  speak 
of  certain  alleviations  and  of  fewer  working-hours. 
But  all  beyond  this  is  arrogant  defiance,  for  which 
their  leader,  Ulrich  Hartmann,  alone  is  responsible. 
He  is  the  leading  spirit  of  the  revolt." 

"  Then  we  will  first  hear  him.  I  have  already 
sent  him  word  to  meet  us  here  and  bring  some  of 
his  comrades  with  him,  adding  that  they  should  be 
received  as  ambassadors.  They  have  come  already. 
Will  you  call  them,  Herr  Wilberg  2" 


GOOD  LUCK. 

Herr  "Wilberg  went  on  his  errand,  but  it  was  with 
open-mouthed  wonder  and  an  air  which,  in  its  ex 
pression  of  boundless  admiration,  seemed  almost 
idiotic.  Herr  Schaffer  elevated  his  eyebrows  and 
looked  at  the  director,  who  took  a  pinch  of  snuff 
and  looked  at  the  other  gentlemen  ;  and  then  they 
all  stared  together  at  the  young  chief,  who  had  all 
at  once  begun  to  make  arrangements  and  issue 
commands  in  a  manner  which  suited  none  of  them 
but  the  chief  engineer.  That  gentleman  had  turned 
his  back  to  his  colleagues  and  placed  himself  at- 
Arthur's  side,  as  if  he  now  knew  where  he  really 
belonged. 

Meantime  Wilberg  had  returned,  and  close  upon 
his  footsteps  followed  Ulrich  Hartmann,  Lorenz, 
and  another  miner.  But  the  two  latter  individuals, 
as  if  that  were  a  matter  of  course,  remained  in  the 
background,  and  let  Hartmann  advance  alone. 

"  Gluck  auf  /•'  was  his  greeting,  and  "  Gluck 
auf 7"  also  that  of  his  two  comrades  ;  but  the  tone 
of  the  old  joyous  miner's  salutation  seemed  here  to 
belie  its  meaning.  In  Ulrich's  manner  there  had 
always  been  something  lordly  and'  defiant,  but  it 
had  never  seemed  so  arrogant,  so  really  insulting, 
as  to-day,  when  he  for  the  first  time  met  the  chief 
and  his  officers ;  no  more  as  an  underling  to  receive 
directions  and  commands,  but  as  an  ambassador 
who  would  not  lay  his  demands  before  them — no, 
who  would  dictate  to  them.  This  was,  indeed,  no 
vulgar  pride  which  spoke  from  his  bearing,  but 
rather  a  scornful  insolence  rooted  in  the  conscious- 


1(58  GOOD  LUCK. 

ness  of  his  own  strength  and  others5  weakness.  He 
let  his  sullen  blue  eyes  slowly  sweep  the  entire 
circle  until  at  last  they  rested  upon  the  young 
chief,  and  his  lips  curled  disdainfully  while  he 
silently  awaited  Arthur's  words. 

Arthur,  during  the  conference  just  ended,  had 
not  sat  down.  He  now  remained  standing,  and 
gravely  faced  the  man  who,  as  they  told  him  on  all 
sides,  was  the  prime  mover  in  the  threatened  out- 
break. Of  that  far  heavier  crime,  that  participa- 
tion in  his  father's  death,  of  which  many  accused 
him,  the  son  happily  had  no  suspicion  ;  for  with 
the  utmost  calmness  he  entered  upon  the  business 
in  hand. 

"  Steiger  Hartmann,  you  yesterday  through  the 
Herr  Director  laid  before  me  the  demands  of  the 
miners  upon  my  works,  and  in  case  of  their  not 
being  granted  you  threaten  a  general  cessation 
from  work." 

"  That  is  so,  Herr  Berkow !"  was  the  short,  de- 
cided, ringing  answer. 

Arthur  rested  his  hand  upon  the  table,  but  his 
tone  was  cool,  business-like;  he  betrayed  not  the 
slightest  emotion. 

"  Above  all  things,  I  want  to  know  what  you 
really  intend  by  these  proceedings.  This  is  no  de- 
mand ;  it  is  a  declaration  of  war.  Even  you  must 
say  to  yourself  that  I  cannot  grant  such  things  and 
will  not  grant  them." 

"  Whether  you  can  grant  them  I  do  not  know, 
Herr  Berkow,"  said  Ulrich  coolly,  "  but  I  believe 


GOOD  LUCK.  169 

you  will  grant  them,  for  we  are  determined  to  let 
the  works  lie  idle  until  you  yield  to  our  demands. 
Substitutes  you  will  not  find  in  the  whole  prov- 
ince." 

This  argument  was  so  conclusive  that  not  much 
could  be  said  against  it,  but  the  tone  in  which  it 
was  advanced  was  so  disdainful  that  Arthurs  brow 
grew  dark. 

"  It  is  b}7  no  means  my  intention  to  refuse  all 
your  demands,"  he  declared  firmly.  "  There  are 
among  them  some  whose  justice  I  recognize  and  to 
which  I  will  also  yield.  The  examination  and  re- 
pairs of  the  mines  for  which  you  ask  shall  be 
granted  ;  the  wages  will,  at  least  partially,  be  raised. 
To  do  this  I  shall  be  obliged  to  make  heavy  sacri- 
fices, more  perhaps  than  in  a  business  point  of  view 
are  justifiable  at  present ;  but  it  shall  be  done.  But 
you  must  relinquish  the  other  points,  whose  sole 
and  only  aim  is  to  take  the  management  out  of  the 
hands  of  my  officers,  to  relax  the  discipline,  which 
in  an  enterprise  like  this  is  a  question  of  life  or 
death." 

The  disdainful  curl  vanished  from  Ulrich's  lips 
and  gave  place  to  a  look  of  surprise  and  suspicion. 
First  he  glanced  at  the  officers,  then  at  the  young 
chief,  as  if  to  inquire  whether  he  had  not  learned 
all  this  by  heart,  whether  he  was  not  repeating 
some  lesson  they  had  stored  in  his  memory. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  tell  you,  Herr  Berkow,  that  these 
points  will  not  be  abandoned,"  he  said  defiantly. 

"  I  really  believe  that  these  minor  points  are  the 


IfO  GOOD  LUCK. 

main  thing  with  you,"  replied  Arthur,  gazing 
steadily  at  Ulrich ;  "  but  I  repeat  to  you  they  must 
be  abandoned.  In  my  concessions  I  will  go  to  the 
utmost  limits  of  possibility,  but  there  I  stand  and 
take  no  step  beyond.  What  I  concede  shall  and 
must  content  every  one  who  seeks  honorable,  re- 
munerative work.  Whoever  it  does  not  content 
seeks  something  different,  and  with  him  no  concord 
can  be  hoped  for.  I  give  you  my  word  of  honor 
that-  everything  necessary  for  the  safety  of  the 
workmen  in  the  mines,  for  the  raising  of  their 
wages,  shall  be  done ;  and  now,  on  my  side,  I  de- 
mand from  you  confidence  in  my  word.  But  before 
we  speak  of  this  matter  you  must  renounce  the  sec- 
ond part  of  your  demands.  Their  fulfillment  is  im- 
possible and  I  enter  into  no  agreement  on  that 
score." 

He  still  retained  the  calm  business  tone,  but  his 
speech  was  too  widely  different  from  the  usual  tone 
and  manner  of  the  young  heir  not  to  have  aston- 
ished Ulrich.  He  could  not  believe  his  own  ears ; 
but  the  more  unexpectedly  this  opposition  came 
from  a  quarter  where  he  had  confidently  reckoned 
upon  a  timid,  cowardly  yielding,  which  should  be 
but  a  prelude  to  unconditional  surrender,  so  much 
the  more  did  this  opposition  enrage  him ;  and  his 
untamable  nature  only  too  soon  burst  these  un- 
wonted barriers. 

"  But  you  shall  not  refuse  in  this  way,  Herr  Ber- 
kow,"  said  he  threateningly.  "  There  are  two  thou- 
sand of  us,  and  the  works  are  just  as  good  as  in  our 


GOOD  LUCK.  171 

hands.  The  time  is  past  when  we  allow  ourselves 
to  be  enslaved  and  trod  upon  just  as  it  pleases  you. 
We  now  demand  our  rights  ;  and  if  we  cannot  win 
them  by  fair  means  we  will  take  them  by  force." 

A  half-angry,  half-anxious  movement  passed 
through  the  circle  of  officers.  They  saw  that  a 
scene  was  at  hand  which,  from  the  well-known  un- 
governable temper  of  Ulrich,  might  end  in  violence. 
Arthur's  face  had  become  deep  red  ;  he  advanced 
some  steps  forward  and  stood  right  before  Ulrich. 

"  Before  all  things,  change  the  tone,  Hartmann, 
in  which  you  speak  to  your  chief !  If  you  would 
be  received  here  as  ambassador  and  as  such  would 
claim  a  sort  of  equality,  then  behave  as  is  custom- 
ary in  such  transactions,  and  do  not  hurl  your 
threats  of  force  and  insurrection  into  one's  face. 
You  demand  discipline  from  your  men  and  I  de- 
mand it  from  you.  Play  the  master  outside  with 
your  comrades,  if  so  it  pleases  you.  While  I  stand 
before  you  I  am  master  of  these  works  and  intend 
to  remain  so.  Rely  upon  that !" 

Had  a  stroke  of  lightning  descended  into  that 
conference  chamber  it  could  have  produced  no 
greater  effect  than  these  words,  hurled  forth  with 
the  fullest  energy  and  with  imperious  pride.  The 
officers  at  first  drew  back  and  then  made  a  move- 
ment as  if  to  protect  the  young  chief  by  forming  a 
circle  around  him,  but  he  waved  them  back  with  a 
silent  gesture  of  the  hand. 

Both  miners  gazed  upon  him  as  if  spell-bound  ; 
but  this  sudden  outburst  struck  none  so  fearfully  as 


172  GOOD  LUCK. 

Ulrich.  He  had  become  white  as  a  corpse.  He 
stood  there,  leaning  far  forward,  with  trembling 
lips  and  wide-open,  staring  eyes,  as  if  he  could  and 
would  not  comprehend  what  he  saw  and  heard. 
Then  all  at  once  his  fatal  error  seemed  to  become 
clear  to  him — his  error  in  regard  to  this  man,  whom 
a  few  days  before  he  had  passed  with  a  disdainful 
shrug  of  the  shoulders,  whom  he  had  reckoned  of 
no  account;  and  now  he  gazed  abashed  into  his 
face.  Like  an  enraged  lion  he  was  about  to  spring 
forward,  but  a  glance — a  clear,  firm,  calm  glance 
met  his  and  awed  and  restrained  him. 

Arthur  had  stood  immovable,  but  he  had  opened 
his  eyes  wide  and  full,  and  with  these  eyes  he  had 
imperiously  kept  that  outbreaking  savagery  within 
its  bounds.  For  a  few  seconds  the  two  men  gazed 
at  each  other ;  then  all  was  decided  between  them. 
Slowly  Ulrich's  clinched  hand  relaxed,  slowly  the 
savage  fury  died  out  of  his  features,  and  his  glance 
sank  to  the  floor.  He  had  in  the  young  chief  rec- 
ognized an  equal,  perhaps  a  superior,  and  bowed  to 
him. 

Arthur  stepped  back.  His  voice  again  rang  cold 
and  calm  as  he  continued  : 

"  And  now  inform  your  comrades  what  I  can 
grant  to  them  and  what  I  cannot.  Add  also  that  I 
will  not  take  back  a  word  I  have  said.  With  this, 
for  the  present,  we  are  at  an  end." 

"  "We  are  so !"  Ulrich's  voice  sounded  hollow, 
almost  stifled,  from  inward  passion.  "  And  I  de- 
clare to  you,  in  the  name  of  all  the  associated 


GOOD  LUCK.  173 

miners  upon  your  works,  that  from  to-morrow 
these  works  will  lie  idle." 

"  It  is  well.  I  was  prepared  for  this,  and  now  I 
warn  you  once  again,  Hartmann,  from  all  extreme 
steps.  They  say  you  have  unlimited  control  over 
your  comrades,  so  take  care  that  quiet  and  order  are 
maintained,  and  do  not  hope  to  intimidate  me  by 
tumultuous  scenes.  I  and  my  officers  will  do  our 
utmost  to  avoid  all  conflict,  but  still,  if  you  force  it 
upon  us  we  must  take  sides  against  you,  and  I  shall 
use  my  authority  to  the  utmost.  Spare  me  and 
yourself  this." 

Ulrich  turned  to  go,  but  in  his  parting  glance 
hatred  and  fury  blended  with  something  other  and 
deeper,  of  which  no  one  dreamed.  What  passed 
convulsively  through  the  breast  of  this  wild,  pas- 
sionate man  none  but  himself  could  know.  He  had 
so  long  despised  this  weakling  and  triumphed  in  the 
thought  that  he  also  must  be  despised  in  another 
heart !  If  he  there  showed  himself  as  here,  then 
the  despising  was  at  an  end.  Those  great  brown 
eyes  that  had  conquered  him  could  well  conquer 
something  else  than  hatred  and  aversion.  The 
livid  pallor  which  had  passed  over  the  young 
miner's  face  since  that  revelation  became  still 
deeper  as  he  withdrew. 

"  We  will  see  who  holds  out  the  longest.  Gluck 
au/r 

He  went,  accompanied  by  both  his  comrades,  but 
the  men's  faces  showed  that  the  scene  just  ended 
had  impressed  them  quite  differently  than  it  had 


174  GOOD  LUCK. 

their  leader.  It  was  a  half-shy,  half-deferential 
glance  they  threw  back  upon  the  young  chief,  and 
there  lay  something  hesitating,  uncertain  in  their 
manner  as  they  left  his  presence. 

Arthur  had  meantime  searchingly  glanced  after 
them  and  now  turned  to  the  officers. 

"  There  are  two  already  who  follow  him  with 
only  half  a  heart.  I  hope  the  majority  will  come 
to  their  senses  if  we  give  them  time,  for  now,  gen- 
tlemen, we  must  yield  to  necessity  and  let  the 
works  lie  idle.  I  in  no  way  ignore  the  danger 
which  threatens  us  here  in  the  withdrawal  of  two 
thousand  excited  men  with  a  leader  like  Hartmann 
at  their  head,  but  I  am  resolved  to  maintain  my 
stand  and  not  to  yield  until  all  is  decided.  It 
naturally  depends  upon  your  own  free  will  whether 
you  follow  me  here.  As  you  were  nearly  all 
against  my  decision,  I  of  course  shall  not  force  its 
results  upon  you,  and  willingly  give  leave  of 
absence  to  any  of  you  who  may  deem  a  temporary 
withdrawal  from  the  works  necessary." 

One  general  indignant  negative  answered  this 
proposal.  The  whole  corps  of  officers,  with  an 
almost  passionate  eagerness,  pressed  around  their 
young  chief  to  assure  him  that  not  one  of  them 
would  move  from  his  place.  Even  the  timid  Herr 
"Wilberg  seemed  all  at  once  to  have  gained  a  lion's 
courage,  so  energetically  did  he  join  in  this  assur- 
ance. 

"  I  thank  you,  gentlemen,"  said  Arthur,  after  a 
deep  sigh  of  relief.  "  In  the  afternoon  we  will 


GOOD  LUCK.  175 

talk  over  matters  and  decide  upon  the  measures  to 
be  taken.  For  the  present  I  must  leave  you. 
Herr  Schaffer,  an  hour  from  now  I  will  await  you 
in  my  cabinet.  Once  again,  my  thanks  to  you  all." 

When  he  had  gone  and  the  door  closed  behind 
him  there  broke  loose  all  those  emotions  of  aston- 
ishment, of  approbation,  and  of  anxiety  which  his 
presence  had  hitherto  restrained. 

"  I  tremble  in  all  my  limbs,"  said  Herr  Wilberg 
while,  without  heeding  the  presence  of  his  supe- 
riors, he  threw  himself  down  upon  a  •  chair.  The 
scene  just  passed  had  made  him  forgetful  of  all 
regard  to  etiquette.  "  God  in  heaven,  what  a  scene ! 
I  thought  that  wild  man,  that  Hartmann,  would 
rush  upon  him ;  but  that  glance,  that  way  of  speak- 
ing! Who  would  have  thought  this  in  our  chief?" 

"He  was  too  defiant,  much  too  defiant."  criti- 
cised Schaffer;  but  even  in  this  criticism  and  in  his 
thoughtful  shake  of  the  head  lay  an  expression 
quite  other  from  that  with  which  he  had  before 
spoken  of  Arthur.  "  He  talked  as  if  he  still  had 
millions  at  his  control  and  as  if  the  going  on  of  the 
works  were  not  a  question  of  life  for  him.  His 
father,  in  spite  of  his  haughtiness,  would  here  have 
yielded  unconditionally ;  for  in  a  business  point  of 
view  it  would  have  been  his  only  resource,  and  he 
knew  no  regard  to  his  position  and  dignity.  The 
son  appears  differently  constituted  ;  but  this  lan- 
guage, which  would  have  been  in  place  a  year 
ago,  is  not  so  now.  He  should  have  been  more 
circumspect,  less  decided  in  his  expressions,  so  that 


176  GOOD  LUCK 

the  possibility  of  a  retreat  might  have  been  open  to 
him  in  case  that " 

"  Away  with  your  considerations  and  scruples !" 
interrupted  the  chief  engineer  hastily.  "  Pardon 
me,  Herr  Schaffer,  if  I  speak  rudely  ;  but  any  one 
can  see  that  your  capabilities  lie  in  office  work,  that 
you  have  never  guided  masses  of  laboring-men.  He 
has  hit  upon  just  the  right  thing  :  he  has  impressed 
them  ;  and  in  such  cases  that  is  all.  A  friendly, 
persuasive  talk  would  have  passed  with  them  for 
weakness,  an  aristocratic  repose  for  haughtiness. 
"We  must  speak  to  these  men  their  own  language  of 
either  or  or,  and  our  chief  perfectly  understands 
this.  You  saw  its  effect  upon  Hartmann.*' 

"  My  greatest  fear  is  that  Berkow  does  not  fully 
estimate  the  conflict  before  us,"  said  the  director 
gravely.  "  Left  to  themselves,  our  miners  would  be 
content  with  his  concessions:  with  this  leader  at 
their  head  nothing  will  content  them.  He  will 
admit  no  equal,  and  they  follow  him  blindly.  But 
our  chief  is  right.  He  has  gone  to  the  furthest 
limits  of  possibility.  To  go  further  would  be  to 
surrender  himself,  his  position,  and  us  all." 

They  now  all  spoke  of  "  the  chief,"  "  the 
master,"  as  a  matter  of  course.  In  a  single  hour 
Arthur  had  won  that  title :  no  other  designation 
seemed  now  to  exist  for  him.  He  must  indeed 
have  shown  himself  master. 

The  three  "  ambassadors"  had  left  the  house  and 
were  walking  over  to  the  works.  Ulrich  spoke  not 
a  word,  but  Lorenz  said  half-aloud ; 


GOOD  LUCK.  177 

"  You  said  lately  that  if  a  man  at  the  right  time 
showed  us  his  teeth  and  at  the  right  time  gave  us 
good  words,  then —  Listen,  Ulrich  !  I  believe  the 
man  over  there  understands  this." 

Ulrich  did  not  answer.  He  threw  a  glance  up  to 
the  window,  and  over  his  forehead  brooded  an 
ominous  cloud. 

"And  all  this  lay  concealed  behind  those  eyes 
that  looked  so  heavy  and  dozy,  as  if  they  were 
good  for  nothing  in  the  world  but  to  sleep,"  he  mut- 
tered between  his  set  teeth.  "  '  So  long  as  I  stand 
here  I  am  master  of  these  works !'  said  he  ;  and  I 
really  believe  he  is  the  man  to  keep  his  word." 

They  now  met  a  group  of  miners,  Ulrich's  own 
men,  who  surrounded  the  ambassadors  with  stormy 
questions. 

"  Let  Ulrich  tell  you  all,"  said  Lorenz  dryly.  "  I 
believe  we  have  the  wrong  one  to  deal  with  there. 
He  doesn't  think  of  yielding." 

"  Don't  think  of  yielding  !"  echoed  the  miners,  all 
evidently  disappointed.  They  had  reckoned  upon 
quite  another  decision.  There  were  many  angry 
exclamations,  many  muttered  threats  of  vengeance 
against  the  young  chief,  whose  name  was  on  all 
sides  spoken  with  open  contempt. 

"Silence!"  cried  Ulrich  imperiously.  "You  do 
not  know  him  as  we  have  just  seen  him.  I  believed 
we  should  have  an  easy  game  now  that  the  father 
is  out  of  the  way.  In  the  son  we  have  all  erred. 
He  has  one  trait  that  never  belongs  to  weaklings — 
a  will.  I  tell  you  he  is  going  to  give  us  plenty  of 
trouble." 


178  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  X. 

IT  was  early  in  the  forenoon.  Mountain  and 
forest  glowed  in  the  sunlight  and  exhaled  the  dewy 
freshness  of  the  spring  morning,  when  Eugenie 
Berkow,  without  any  attendant,  rode  along  the 
forest  path.  She  was  an  excellent  horsewoman  and 
passionately  fond  of  the  exercise,  and  yet  here  in 
the  country  she  had  seldom  indulged  in  it — far 
more  seldom  than  had  been  her  wont.  On  her  first 
arrival  the  weather  had  prevented  ;  of  late  she  had 
felt  no  wish  for  her  favorite  exercise;  and  the 
principal  reason  was  that  her  beautiful  riding-horse 
had  been  a  present  from  Arthur  in  the  days  of  their 
betrothal,  and  that  her  aversion  to  the  giver  ex- 
tended to  all  that  came  directly  from  him. 

It  was  only  with  repugnance  that  at  her  marriage 
she  had  worn  the  costly  diamonds  which  formed 
part  of  her  bridal  jewels ;  since  that  day  they  had 
not  left  their  case.  It  was  with  a  feeling  of  con- 
straint she  moved  amid  the  lavish  magnificence  that 
had  surrounded  her  since  her  marriage,  and  even 
this  splendid  animal,  which  had  cost  a  fabulous  sum 
and  which  had  called  forth  the  admiration  of  the 
Residence  as  she  rode  out  by  the  side  of  her  be- 
trothed, had  of  late  been  entirely  neglected  by-  its 
mistress  and  given  over  to  the  care  of  servants. 


GOOD  LUCK.  179 

There  \vas  great  surprise  this  morning  when  her 
adyship  ordered  Afra  to  be  saddled,  but  the  serv- 
int,  who,  as  usual,  made  ready  to  attend  his  mis- 
tress, was  informed  that  she  would  ride  alone  ;  and 
50,  to  the  astonishment  of  all,  she  rode  forth  with- 
out an  attendant.  Arthur  of  course  knew  nothing 
of  this.  She  saw  him  more  rarely  than  ever  now, 
as  he  habitually  excused  himself  from  meals,  and 
the  life  of  this  married  pair  had  become  so  separate 
that  one  very  rarely  knew  how  the  other  passed  the 
day.  • 

Eugenie  in  rapid  haste  rode  through  the  forest 
without  meeting  any  one.  It  was  very  solitary 
here,  and  this  solitude,  the  freshness  and  beauty  of 
the  morning,  had  a  rare  charm  for  the  young  woman, 
who  for  several  days  had  not  passed  the  limits  of 
the  park.  The  works  were  idle  ;  an  oppressive  re- 
pose and  silence  brooded  over  this  usually  restless, 
active  region  ;  but  things  were  all  the  more  lively 
in  the  cabinet  of  the  young  chief,  where  he  now 
remained  from  early  morning  until  late  at  night. 

The  officers  came  and  went ;  conferences  were 
held,  books  and  papers  examined.  Schaffer  was 
continually  passing  back  and  forth  from  the  Kesi- 
dence  to  the  estates ;  letters  and  dispatches  flew 
hither  and  thither  ;  but  over  all  this  restless  activity 
brooded  a  gloom  and  an  oppression.  It  was  as  if 
an  evil  spirit  moved  in  the  air — a  spirit  to  be  resist- 
ed and  if  possible  overcome. 

Eugenie  knew  that  there  was  a  difference  with 
the  miners.  Arthur  had  told  her  so,  adding  that 


180  GOOD  LUC£. 

the  affair  was  of  slight  consequence  and  would  soon 
be  adjusted.  Very  calmly,  very  coolly,  he  had  said 
this  to  her,  and  had  requested  her  in  her  daily  walks 
to  shun  as  much  as  possible  the  villages  where  the 
miners  dwelt,  as  there  was  at  present  some  excite- 
ment among  the  workmen. 

The  officers  must  have  received  hints  not  to  alarm 
her  ladyship,  for  Eugenie's  attempts  to  learn  any- 
thing further  had  been  met  by  polite  excuses  or 
pacifying  assurances.  They  had  told  her  not  to  be 
at  all  anxious,  that  the  disturbance  was  of  little 
moment,  that  its  like  might  be  expected  any  day. 
And  yet  Eugenie  felt  the  hidden  danger  as  she  felt 
the  change  which  had  passed  over  Arthur  since  his 
father's  death,  though  his  demeanor  toward  her  re- 
mained the  same. 

This  young  woman  was  of  too  fearless,  too  proud 
a  nature  not  to  regard  this  reticence,  this  evident 
evasion,  as  a  sort  of  offense.  It  was  true  she  had 
no  right  to  participation  in  the  anxieties,  perhaps 
dangers,  of  her  husband  ;  what  other  wives  could 
claim  lay  infinitely  far  from  her.  If  the  word  of 
separation  was  already  spoken,  and  only  for  the 
;sake  of  the  proprieties,  only  to  give  the  world  as 
tittle  cause  for  gossip  as  possible,  they  endured  a 
few  months  of  life  together,  each  must  surely  remain 
foreign  to  the  other's  interests. 

This  she  well  understood,  and  if  she  had  not  un- 
derstood it  Arthur  would  have  made  her  sensible  of 
it.  As  he  daily  grew  stronger  and,  rousing  himself 
from  his  former  indolence,  displayed  the  most  ener- 


GOOD  LUCK  181 

getic  and  intense  activity,  he  grew  colder  and  more 
distant  to  her.  She  could  but  thank  him  for  thus 
seeking  to  alleviate  for  her  the  painfulness  of  the 
approaching  separation  by  already  treating  her  as 
an  entire  stranger. 

Eugenie  did  not  conceal  from  herself  that  Ber- 
kow's  death  had  removed  a  great  hindrance  to  her 
wishes.  He  would  never  have  consented  to  a  di- 
vorce from  a  marriage  for  which  he  had  so  ambi- 
tiously striven  and  which  he  had  so  dearly  won. 
The  son  thought  otherwise.  To  him  the  marriage 
was  as  indifferent  as  the  wife  whom  in  his  former 
passive  acquiescence  he  had  allowed  them  to  force 
upon  him.  He  had  proposed  the  separation  to  her 
before  she  had  made  the  least  effort  to  gain  his  con- 
sent to  such  a  step,  and  in  this  case  that  step,  which 
almost  everywhere  costs  infinite  struggle,  tears,  and 
bitterness,  which  not  seldom  stirs  up  the  passions  of 
the  human  heart  from  their  lowest  depths,  was  to 
be  taken  with  the  fullest  mutual  acquiescence  ;  with 
such  coldness,  politeness,  and  heartlessness  as  to  ex- 
cite the  wonder  even  of  the  prime  movers  in  the 
affair. 

Afra  reared  suddenly.  The  animal  was  not  ac- 
customed to  the  whip,  at  least  vigorously  applied  as 
at  this  moment.  She  had  to-day  suffered  much  from 
the  impatience  of  her  mistress,  and  had  Eugenie  not 
been  an  adept  in  horsemanship,  the  fiery,  excitable 
animal  would  have  given  her  a  world  of  trouble. 
Afra  was  soon  quieted,  but  the  delicate  brows  of  her 
mistress  were  still  contracted  and  the  lips  compressed 


182  GOOD  LUCK. 

as  in  inward  anger  ;  whether  over  the  resistance  of 
Afra  or  the  want  of  resistance  on  another  side  re- 
mains doubtful. 

She  had  meantime  reached  the  farm,  which  lay 
half  an  hour's  distance  down  in  the  valley,  and  now 
she  began  to  ascend  the  hill,  but  not  up  the  steep 
foot-path  down  which  she  had  come  with  Arthur 
and  which  equestrians  could  not  pass.  Not  far  dis- 
tant a  highway  in  long  but  easy  windings  led  up 
the  height.  Afra,  unaccustomed  to  country  roads, 
showed  both  obstinacy  and  weariness,  and  when 
they  reached  the  hill-top  Eugenie  was  obliged  to 
halt  and  allow  the  animal  the  needed  rest. 

The  misty  veil  which  had  that  day  floated  around 
hill  and  mountain  had  lifted,  and  sunshine  warm 
and  bright  now  flooded  the  earth,  as  if  there  had 
never  been  a  time  when  rain  and  tempest  had  here 
striven  for  the  mastery ;  when  gray,  cloudy,  form- 
less specters,  like  grim  spirits  of  evil,  had  flitted 
athwart  the  landscape. 

Still  lay  the  valleys,  misty  blue  in  the  cool  morn- 
ing shadows  ;  and  in  all  the  brighter  relief  stood  out 
the  mountains,  their  countless  summits,  one  over- 
topping the  other,  a  single  green  forest  sea,  with 
billows  rising  even  to  the  furthest,  highest  summit. 

The  dark  firs  had  adorned  themselves  in  light 
fresh  green,  and  within  upon  the  forest  floor,  out- 
side upon  the  rocky  ground,  between  moss  and 
stones,  wherever  a  vine  could  find  place  or  a  little 
plant  take  root,  there  bloomed  and  exhaled  a  thou- 
sand forms  and  colors.  And  the  brooks  dashed 


000 D  LUCK.  183 

do\vn  into  the  valleys  and  the  rejoicing  springs 
gushed  forth,  and  above  all  arched  the  cloudless 
deep- blue  sky  of  May.  All  was  so  bright,  so  golden, 
so  vast,  so  free  that  it  seemed  as  if  this  newly 
awakened  life  of  Nature  must  heal  every  wound, 
must  break  every  chain — as  if  here  nothing  could 
have  breath  that  was  not  allied  to  freedom  and  hap- 
piness. 

And  still  the  glance  of  this  young  woman  was 
strangely  grave.  There  was  a  painful  tension  in 
her  features,  as  if  for  her  lay  a  hidden  torture  in  all 
this  surrounding  beauty.  She  should  have  breathed 
more  lightly  at  thought  of  the  promised  freedom 
which  would  be  hers  ere  another  spring  greeted  the 
earth.  Why  could  she  not  ?  Why  at  this  prospect 
did  a  sensation  akin  to  agony  thrill  her  soul  ?  Could 
there  be  pain  in  the  thought  of  that  hour  when  the 
decree  of  separation  would  be  given  and  received  ? 

She  longed  so  ardently  for  this  separation,  for  a 
return  to  her  family  ;  she  suffered  so  keenly  under 
this  chain,  which  she  could  scarce  longer  bear — 
since  that  hour  with  Arthur  here  upon  this  height 
she  really  could  bear  it  no  longer.  Until  then  she 
had  been  firm  and  resigned  to  this  sacrifice  for  her 
father,  to  this  destiny  forced  upon  her ;  fixed  in  her 
hatred  to  those  who  had  forged  the  chain.  But 
with  that  hour  all  her  sensations  seemed  to  have 
undergone  a  change.  A  conflict  had  begun  in  her 
inner  being,  a  struggle  against  a  something  which, 
mysterious  and  unspoken,  lay  in  the  deepest  depths 
of  her  soul  and  which  she  would  for  no  price 


184  GOOD  LUCK. 

allow  mastery  over  her.  And  still  it  was  this  very 
something  which  had  driven  her  out  this  morning, 
and  almost  against  her  will  had  driven  her  to  this 
place.  It  alone  was  responsible  that  the  daughter 
of  the  Windegs  had  so  far  forgotten  etiquette  as  to 
ride  out  alone,  without  the  attendance  of  a  servant. 
She  could  and  would  to-day  have  no  witness  :  and 
it  was  well  she  had  none ;  for  as  she  paused  up  there 
on  the  hill,  in  the  midst  of  the  golden  splendor  of 
the  spring,  there  came  over  her  an  undefined  long- 
ing for  the  mysterious  charm  of  that  hour  when 
cloud  and  darkness  were  around  her ;  when  the  fir 
tops  swayed  above  her ;  when  the  storm  raged 
through  the  ravines  and  valleys  ;  when  those  large 
brown  eyes,  which  for  the  first  time  had  unveiled 
their  depths  to  her,  had  also  at  that  moment  sug- 
gested to  her  that  much,  perhaps  everything,  might 
have  been  made  of  this  man  if  he  had  loved  and 
been  beloved  before  his  father's  hand  had  plunged 
him  into  that  whirlpool  where  so  much  of  strength 
and  nobleness  has  gone  down  to  ruin. 

And  with  this  consciousness  had  awakened  some- 
thing which  Eugenie  Windeg  had  never  known, 
something  which  was  reserved  for  the  wife  of 
Arthur  Berkow  to  experience — a  woe  far  calmer, 
but  infinitely  deeper,  than  all  she  had  hitherto 
suffered.  And  she  placed  her  hand  over  her  eyes, 
from  which  unrestrainedly  welled  forth  a  hot  stream 
of  tears. 

"  Your  ladyship  /" 

Eugenie  started,  and  Afra,  frightened  at    the 


GOOD  LUCK.  185 

strange  voice,  made  a  sideward  spring,  but  the  same 
moment  a  strong  hand  seized  the  rein  and  forced 
the  animal  to  remain  quiet.  Ulrich  Hartmann  stood 
close  beside  her. 

"  I  did  not  know  the  horse  was  so  timid,"  he  said 
apologetically,  while  a  glance,  half-anxiety,  half- 
admiration,  glided  over  the  young  horsewoman, 
who  in  spite  of  the  surprise  had  remained  firmly 
seated  in  her  saddle. 

Eugenie  quickly  passed  her  hand  over  her  face  to 
remove  the  traces  of  tears,  but  it  \vas  too  late.  Her 
weeping  must  necessarily  have  been  seen,  and  the 
thought  of  this  sent  a  deep  flush  to  her  cheeks  and 
gave  her  voice  an  expression  of  displeasure  as  she 
hastily  and  somewhat  imperiously  said: 

"  Let  go  the  rein  !  Afra  is  not  accustomed  to  be 
held  by  strangers  and  shies  at  every  unknown 
touch.  You  are  bringing  me  into  danger  by  your 
nearness." 

Ulrich  listened  and  stepped  back.  Eugenie 
stroked  caressingly  the  neck  of  the  animal,  which, 
snorting  and  impatient,  had  endured  the  strange 
hand  at  its  bridle,  whose  power  it,  as  it  were,  in  a 
moment  recognized.  But  the  caresses  of  her  mis- 
tress in  a  few  seconds  pacified  Afra. 

Meantime  Hartmann's  gaze  rested  unwavering 
upon  the  young  woman,  who  sat  her  horse  as  few 
women  could  have  done.  The  dark  riding-dress, 
the  little  hat  with  its  gossamer  veil  surmounting  the 
blond  braids  and  shading  the  beautiful  face  still  red 
from  weeping,  the  easy,  secure  bearing  which  in 


186  GOOD  LUCK. 

spite  of  Afra's  unrest  was  not  for  a  moment  dis- 
turbed, showed  in  the  fullest  light  the  symmetry  of 
the  tall,  slender  figure.  Her  whole  appearance  as, 
with  the  sunbeams  weaving  a  bright  woof  all  around 
her,  she  sat  on  the  back  of  the  beautiful  animal,  was 
a  perfect  picture  of  strength  and  grace. 

"  Have  you  been  long  up  here,  Hartmann  ?"  asked 
Eugenie,  in  the  faint  hope  that  he  might  have 
reached  the  hill  just  at  the  moment  of  speaking  to 
her  and  not  have  seen  her  tears.  "  I  did  not  see 
you  before." 

"  I  stood  over  there."  He  pointed  to  the  outlet  of 
the  forest,  which  she  had  not  noticed.  "  I  saw  you 
ride  up  and  remained  to  wait  for  you." 

The  young  woman,  who  was  just  about  to  ride 
past  him  into  the  wood,  halted  in  surprise. 

"  To  wait  for  me  ?"  she  repeated.  "  And  where- 
fore?" 

Ulrich  evaded  an  answer. 

"  Are  you  alone,  my  lady — quite  alone  ?  Have 
you  not  as  usual  a  servant  with  you  ?" 

"  No :  you  see  that  I  am  without  any  attendant." 

Ulrich  stepped  quickly,  but  this  time  more  cir- 
cumspectly than  before,  to  the  horse's  side. 

"  Then  you  must  turn  back  this  instant !  I  will 
go  with  you,  at  least  until  we  come  in  sight  of  the 
works." 

"But  what  is  the  meaning  of  all  this?"  asked 
Eugenie,  more  and  more  struck  by  the  proffered 
service  and  by  the  dark,  contracted  brow  of  the 
young  miner.  "  Is  there  danger  here  in  the  forest, 
or  is  there  anything  else  to  i'eaH" 


GOOD  LUCK.  187 

Ulrich  threw  a  scrutinizing  glance  upon  the  lower 
forest  path,  whose  windings  from  here  were  only 
partially  visible.  "  We  were  at  the  forges  up  in  the 
mountains,"  he  at  length  said  slowly,  "  I  and  a 
part  of  my  comrades.  I  went  alone  by  the  nearest 
path,  because  I  wished  to  return  sooner.  The  others 
took  the  highway.  You  might  meet  them,  your 
ladyship,  and  I  would  rather  be  near  you,  at  all 
events." 

"  I  am  not  timid,"  declared  Eugenie  decidedly, 
"and  I  should  hope  they  would  not  dare  insult  me. 
I  know  that  there  is  a  dififerer.ee  with  the  workmen, 
but  they  tell  me  it  is  of  small  moment,  and  in  a  short 
time  all  will  be  adjusted." 

"  Then  they  have  lied  to  you !"  interrupted  Ul- 
rich roughly.  "Of  adjustment  and  of  trifles  there 
can  be  no  mention  here.  Herr  Lerkow  has  declared 
war  upon  us  or  we  upon  him — it  all  amounts  to  the 
same  thing;  enough,  we  are  now  at  war,  and  it  will 
not  end  until  one  of  us  is  conquered.  I  say  this  to 
your  ladyship,  and  I  certainly  know  best  about  the 
matter." 

A  slight  pallor  overspread  the  young  woman's 
face  as  she  received  this  confirmation  of  her  long- 
cherished  fears,  but  the  reckless,  overbearing  man- 
ner of  the  revelation  offended  her  and  gave  her  a 
more  than  usually  haughty  manner  as  she  replied 
coldly : 

"  Well,  then,  if  matters  stand  thus  I  cannot  pos- 
sibly accept  the  attendance,  and  still  less  the  protec- 
tion, of  a  man  who  so  openly  and  recklessly  con- 


188  GOOD  LUCK. 

fesses  himself  the  enemy  of  my  husband.  I  will 
ride  alone." 

She  was  about  to  give  her  horse  the  rein,  but  Ul- 
rich  started  up  at  this  motion  and  passionately  and 
imperiously  threw  himself  in  the  way. 

"  Stop,  my  lady  !     You  must  take  me  with  you." 

"  I  must  ?"  Eugenie  proudly  lifted  her  head. 
"And  supposing  I  will  not?" 

"  Then  I  implore  you  to  do  so." 

There  was  again  that  quick  transition  from  reck- 
less threatening  to  almost  piteous  entreaty  which 
had  once  before  disarmed  Eugenie's  anger  and  which 
even  now  softened  her  displeasure.  She  glanced 
down  upon  the  young  miner,  who  sullenly,  angrily, 
and  yet  with  an  expression  of  unmistakable  anxiety 
gazed  up  to  her. 

"  I  cannot  accept  your  proffer,  Hartmann,"  she 
said  gravely.  "  If  your  comrades  have  gone  so  far 
that  in  meeting  them  I  am  not  secure  from  insult,  I 
fear  this  is  alone  your  work ;  and  from  a  man  who 
bears  such  an  irreconcilable  hatred  against  us " 

"  Us?"  interrupted  TJlrich  vehemently.  "I  do 
not  hate  you,  gracious  lady,  and  you  should  not  be 
insulted,  certainly  not  you  /  No  one  ventures  to 
breathe  a  word  against  you  when  I  am  near,  and  if 
one  did  venture  he  would  not  do  so  a  second  time. 
Take  me  with  you  5" 

For  a  few  moments  Eugenie  hesitated,  but  her 
fearlessness  and  his  hostile  cieiTicnstrations  just  now 
turned  the  scale. 

"I  will  turn  around  and  shw  the  highway,"  she 


GOOD  LUCK.  189 

said  hastily.     "  Remain  back,  Hartmann !     Respect 
for  Herr  Berkow  demands  it." 

As  if  this  name  unfettered  a  long-restrained  fury, 
his  eyes  flamed  suddenly  up  as  she  spoke  it  and  a 
flash  of  wild,  deadly  hatred  shot  from.  them. 

"Respect  to  Herr  Berkow!"  he  broke  loose — 
"  Herr  Berkow,  who  so  lovingly  lets  you  ride  alone 
when  he  knew  that  we  were  up  at  the  forges  and 
must  now  be  in  the  forest!  Indeed,  he  has  never 
concerned  himself  about  you ;  whether  you  are 
happy  or  unhappy  is  all  the  same  to  him ;  and  still 
he  only  is  responsible  for  all!" 

"  Hartmann  !  how  dare  you  ?"  cried  Eugenie,  glow- 
ing with  anger  and  indignation,  but  she  vainly 
sought  to  restrain  him.  He  interrupted  her  words 
and  in  ever-mounting  excitement  went  on  : 

"  Ah,  yes !  it  is  certainly  a  great  crime  to  see  you 
weep  when  you  think  no  mortal  is  near ;  but  1  be- 
lieve you  weep  very  often,  my  lady  ;  that  you  have 
wept  very  often  since  coming  here  ;  only  no  one 
sees  it  as  I  did  just  now.  I  know  whose  fault  it  is, 
and  I  will- 
He  stopped  suddenly,  for  the  young  woman  had 
raised  herself  in  the  saddle  and  now  gave  him  that 
glance  of  annihilating  pride  with  which  she  knew 
how  to  make  herself  so  unapproachable.  Her  voice 
sounded  sharp  and  icy,  and  still  worse,  it  was  the 
tone  of  the  mistress  to  the  underling  with  which 
she  now  commanded  him. 

"Be  silent,  Hartmann!  Another  word,  one 
single  word,  against  my  husband,  and  I  forget  that 


190  GOOD  LUCK. 

you  saved  his  life  and  mine  and  answer  your  thrust 
as  it  deserves !" 

She  wheeled  her  horse  around  and  would  have 
passed  him,  but  Ulrica's  giant  form  stood  in  the 
midst  of  the  path  and  would  not  move  one  step. 
He  had  become  ghastly  pale  at  this  imperious  tone, 
which  for  the  first  time  he  heard  from  her  lips,  and 
the  hatred  which  flamed  in  his  eyes  seemed  now 
also  for  her. 

"  Stand  out  of  my  way  !"  commanded  Eugenie 
imperiously  as  before.  "  I  wish  to  go  on !" 

But  she  found  herself  in  the  presence  of  a  man 
with  whom  commanding  could  not  avail  and  whom 
a  command  from  her  mouth  roused  to  perfect  fury. 
Instead  of  obeying,  with  a  single  step  he  was  close  at 
her  side,  and  a  second  time,  now  with  an  iron  grasp, 
he  seized  her  horse's  bridle,  regardless  of  the  ani- 
mal's rearing  or  of  the  danger  of  its  mistress. 

"  You  shall  not  speak  to  me  in  this  way,  ray 
lady !"  he  said  in  a  hollow  voice.  "  I  can  endure 
much,  much  from  you,  if  from  no  one  else ;  but  that 
tone  I  will  not  bear !  Do  not  goad  on  your  horse," 
he  continued,  beside  himself  as  Eugenie  sought  by  the 
use  of  the  whip  to  force  Afra  to  break  loose  and 
spring  forward.  "  You  will  not  ride  me  down,  but 
I  will  pull  down  this  horse  as  I  did  those  others!" 

There  lay  a  fearful  threat  in  these  words  and  a 
still  more  fearful  threat  in  his  glance.  Eugenie  saw 
this  savagery  so  feared  by  all  for  the  first  time 
turned  against  her,  and  she  suddenly  comprehended 
the  full  danger  of  her  situation.  But  at  the  same 


GOOD  LUCK.  191 

moment  with  quick  presence  of  mind  she  seized  the 
only  means  of  rescue. 

"Hartmann,"  she  said  reproachfully,  but  her 
voice  had  all  at  once  become  mild,  almost  weak, 
"  just  now  you  offered  me  your  protection,  and  do 
you  yourself  threaten  me?  Well,  truly,  I  see  what 
I  have  to  fear  from  your  comrades  if  you  meet  me 
thus !  I  would  not  have  ridden  into  the  forest  if  I 
had  had  a  suspicion  of  this." 

The  reproach  and,  more  yet,  the  voice,  seemed  to 
bring  Ulrich  to  his  senses ;  his  wild  fury  vanished 
when  he  no  longer  heard  the  tone  which  called  it 
forth.  Still  he  kept  his  right  hand  firmly  on  the 
rein,  but  the  clinched  left  gradually  relaxed  and  the 
threatening  expression  vanished  from  his  features. 

"  I  have  hitherto  never  feared  you,"  continued 
Eugenie  gently,  "  in  spite  of  all  the  bad  things  I 
have  heard  them  say  of  you.  Will  you  now  teach 
me  to  fear  you  ?  We  are  close  to  the  declivity  of 
the  hill ;  if  you  go  on  so,  exciting  my  horse,  or  con- 
tinue your  threats,  an  accident  will  happen.  Will 
the  man  who  once  threw  himself  under  my  horses' 
hoofs  to  rescue  an  unknown  person  now  himself 
bring  me  into  danger  ?  Let  me  go  on,  Hartmann !" 

Ulrich  slightly  trembled  and  threw  a  glance  upon 
the  declivity,  which  certainly  was  near  enough. 
Slowly  he  let  go  the  bridle,  and  slowly,  as  if  yield- 
ing to  an  irresistible  power,  he  stepped  to  one  side 
to  let  her  pass.  Eugenie  involuntarily  looked  back. 
He  stood  there  dumb,  the  scornful  eyes  upon  the 
ground,  and  without  a  syllable  of  reply  or  adieu  let 
her  unhindered  ride  on. 


192  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  young  woman  drew  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  as 
Afra's  fleetness  removed  her  from  that  dangerous 
presence.  Courageous  as  she  was,  here  she  had 
trembled.  She  could  have  been  no  woman  not  to 
have  been  taught  by  this  scene  what  she  had  long 
suspected — that  this  enigmatical  and  contradictory 
being,  this  man  so  different  from  all  others,  con- 
cealed some  sentiment  in  regard  to  her  far  more 
dangerous  than  hatred.  Still  he  bowed  to  her 
power ;  but  he  had  been  near  enough  breaking  his 
chain.  She  had  now  proof  that  this  untamable 
nature  yielded  nothing  to  blindness  or  timidity,  and 
that  once  unfettered  it  burst  all  barriers. 

She  had  reached  the  valley,  and  mindful  of  the 
warning  she  had  received  was  about  leaving  the 
highway,  when  she  heard  the  sound  of  hoofs  in 
that  direction,  and  looking  around  saw  a  horseman 
coming  on  at  full  gallop.  In  a  few  minutes  he  was 
at  her  side. 

"  At  last  /"  said  Arthur  breathlessly  as  he  let  his 
horse  fall  into  step  with  hers.  "  How  very  impru- 
dent in  you  to  ride  out  to-day !  You  certainly  had 
no  suspicion  of  the  risk." 

Eugenie  gazed  in  surprise  at  her  husband,  who, 


GOOD  LUCK.  193 

glowing  and  breathless  from  his  hurried  ride,  kept 
close  at  her  side.  He  was  not  in  riding-costume  ;  he 
wore  neither  spurs  nor  gloves ;  just  as  he  was,  in  his 
house  dress,  he  must  have  thrown  himself  upon  the 
horse  to  hasten  after  her. 

"  Only  half  an  hour  ago  I  learned  of  this  caprice 
of  yours,"  he  continued,  trying  to  control  his  ex- 
citement. "  Franz  and  Anton  are  already  seeking 
you  in  different  directions ;  I  alone  found  the  right 
track.  They  told  me  at  the  farm  that  you  had 
some  time  ago  ridden  past." 

The  young  wife  did  not  ask  the  reason  of  this 
anxiety ;  she  knew  it  sufficiently ;  but  still  the 
anxiety  itself  surprised  her.  He  could  have  sent 
his  servants  alone  to  seek  her.  Indeed,  the  possi- 
bility of  having  his  wife  insulted  by  the  miners  was 
very  unpleasant  for  the  chief  of  the  works,  and  the 
only  peculiarity  in  the  case  was  that  he  hurried 
after  her  himself. 

"  I  was  above  there,"  explained  Eugenie,  pointing 
to  the  goal  of  her  ride. 

"  Upon  the  hill  where  we  sought  refuge  from  the 
storm  !  Were  you  there  ?" 

Eugenie  blushed  deeply ;  she  saw  again  that 
strange  uplighting  in  his  eyes  which  for  a  week 
long  had  vanished.  And  why  was  the  question  so 
wildly,  so  breathlessly  expressed  ?  Had  he  not 
long  ago  forgotten  that  hour  which  so  often  still 
tortured  her  remembrance  ? 

"  I  happened  there  by  accident,"  said  she  hastily, 
as  if  she  must  exculpate  herself  from  a  fault,  and 


194  GOOD  LUCK. 

this  exculpation  had  at  once  the  desired  result. 
The  uplighting  in  his  glance  vanished  suddenly  and 
his  manner  became  cool  and  decided. 

"  By  accident — ah,  yes  ;  I  might  have  known  that 
you  would  plan  no  such  excursion.  Afra,  I  see,  was 
unwilling.  But  you  might  accidentally  have  taken 
the  road  to  M ,  and  that  was  what  I  feared." 

"And  what  was  there  to  fear?"  asked  Eugenie  as 
they  left  the  wide  traveled  road  and  turned  off  into 
a  narrower  one  leading  through  the  forest. 

Arthur  tried  to  shun  her  searching  glance. 

"You  might  have  encountered  some  disrespect  or 
insult,"  he  said.  "Our  miners  have  been  to  the 
upper  forges  to  organize  there  some  resistance  to 
my  authority.  Hartmann,  by  his  fulminating  ad- 
dresses, has  excited  them  to  fury.  I  hear  of  great 
commotions  up  there  yesterday,  and  I  know  that  a 
band  of  men  coming  from  the  scene  of  such  a 
tumult  is  capable  of  anything.  They  must  now  be 
on  the  return." 

"  But  I  should  have  shunned  the  highway,"  said 
the  young  woman  calmly.  "  I  was  already 
warned." 

"  Warned  ?    By  whom  ?" 

"  By  Hartmann  himself,  who  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
ago  I  met  up  in  the  forest." 

This  time  it  was  Arthur's  horse  that  reared 
violently,  frightened  at  the  sudden  wrench  his 
rider  had  given  to  the  bridle. 

"  Hartmann  ?  And  did  he  dare  approach  you 
and  speak  to  you  after  all  that  has  happened  in 
these  last  days  ?" 


GOOD  LUCK.  195 

"It  was  only  to  warn  me  and  to  offer  me  his 
company  and  his  protection.  I  declined  both ; 
that  I  believed  I  owed  to  you  and  to  your  posi- 
tion." 

"  You  believed  you  owed  it  to  me  ?"  repeated 
Arthur  sarcastically.  "I  am  infinitely  obliged  to 
you  for  this  deference,  but  it  is  well  you  showed  it ; 
for  if  you  had  let  him  escort  you,  much  as  I  avoid 
giving  the  first  occasion  for  conflict,  still  I  should 
have  made  him  sensible  that  the  inciter,  the  ring- 
leader, of  this  whole  rebellion  had  best  keep  his 
distance  from  my  wife." 

Eugenie  was  silent.  In  spite  of  this  apparent 
calmness,  she  knew  that  her  husband  was  fearfully 
excited  ;  she  knew  this  by  the  compression  of  the 
lips,  by  the  trembling  of  the  hand  ;  just  so  she  had 
seen  him  on  that  first  evening,  only  she  now  better 
than  then  knew  what  lay  concealed  behind  this  out- 
ward indifference. 

They  rode  silently  on  through  the  sunny  wood, 
the  sound  of  the  horses'  hoofs  being  subdued  on  this 
soft  mossy  floor.  Here  over  all  was  spring's  per- 
fume and  spring's  breath  ;  here,  too,  the  clear  blue 
sky  which  had  arched  over  the  fir  tops ;  and  here, 
also,  the  secret  woe  in  Eugenie's  heart,  only  that  it 
rose  mightier,  more  agonizing  than  there  upon  the 
hill. 

The  animals  trotted  side  by  side  along  the  narrow 
road.  The  heavy  folds  of  Eugenie's  riding-habit 
swept  the  bushes,  and  her  veil  more  than  once 
fluttered  over  Arthur's  shoulder.  In  such  nearness 


196  GOOD  LUCK 

she  could  but  remark  that  now,  when  the  glow  of 
the  rapid  ride  had  vanished,  he  was  ghastly  pale. 
It  is  true  he  had  never  had  the  fresh  animated  glow 
of  youth,  but  this  was  quite  another  pallor  from 
that  of  the  young  lion  of  the  Residence  who  had 
passed  his  evenings  in  the  salon,  his  nights  at  the 
gaming-table,  and  then,  satiated  and  debilitated, 
had  lain  all  day  upon  his  sofa  with  closed  curtains 
because  the  spoiled,  weary  eyes  could  not  bear  the 
sunlight.  This  pallor  came  from  the  same  source 
as  that  gloomy  fold  of  care  upon  the  forehead,  as 
the  grave,  melancholy  expression  of  the  face,  which 
had  hitherto  shown  only  languid  indifference. 

But  Arthur  Berkow  gained  infinitely  by  this 
change,  which  would  have  been  detrimental  to  any 
other.  Eugenie  now  began  to  see  that  her  husband 
could  make  pretensions  to  beauty. 

Until  now  she  would  not  see  this ;  that  sluggish 
insensibility  of  his  nature  had  robbed  him  of  every 
outward  grace.  Now  this  new  expression  of  energy 
in  face  and  manner  made  him  quite  another  being. 

Ah,  yes !  the  sunken  world  began  to  mount  up- 
ward from  its  abyss ;  the  approaching  storm  had 
summoned  it  forth,  the  storm  which  alone — Eugenie 
felt  almost  with  a  sort  of  bitterness  that  she  had  no 
share  in  this  awakening ;  that  she  did  not  possess 
the  magic  word  to  loose  the  spell.  It  burst  upward 
through  its  own  strength :  what  need  was  there  of 
a  helping  hand ! 

"  I  am  sorry  to  be  obliged  to  shorten  your  ride," 
said  Arthur  at  length,  interrupting  the  silence,  but 


GOOD  LUCK.  197 

he  said  this  in  the  cool,  polite  manner  he  always 
assumed  toward  her.  "  The  day  is  charming." 

"I  fear  a  ride  out  in  the  open  air  was  more 
necessary  to  you  than  to  me."  In  the  young  wife's 
voice  there  lay  an  anxiety  of  which  she  was  not 
conscious.  "  You  look  so  pale,  Arthur  !" 

•'  I  am  not  accustomed  to  work,"  he  said  in  a  tone 
of  bitter  irony.  "  This  all  comes  from  effeminacy. 
I  cannot  even  for  a  short  time  perform  the  labor 
my  officers  do  daily." 

"  It  seems  to  me,  on  the  contrar}%  that  you  are 
working  beyond  what  is  required  of  any  one," 
returned  Eugenie  hastily.  "  All  *day  long  you 
scarce  leave  your  cabinet,  and  nights  I  see  your 
light  burning  there  until  morning." 

A  quick  flush  passed  over  the  young  man's  face. 

"  For  how  long  a  time  have  you  so  attentively 
scrutinized  the  windows  of  my  apartment?"  he 
asked  with  calm  but  intense  bitterness.  "  I  did  not 
believe  they  really  had  any  existence  for  you." 

It  was  now  the  young  woman's  turn  to  blush,  but 
she  quickly  subdued  the  mounting  glow  and  re- 
turned firmly  : 

"  Since  I  knew  that  the  danger  which  you  per- 
sistently denied  every  day  drew  nearer.  Why  did 
you  conceal  from  me  the  magnitude  of  this  conflict 
and  its  possible  results?" 

"  Because  1  did  not  wish  to  alarm  you." 

She  made  an  impatient  gesture. 

"  I  am  no  timid  child  whom  one  must  surround 
with  such  anxious  care,  and  if  any  danger  threatens 
us " 


198  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Us  ?  "  interrupted  Arthur.  "  I  beg  your  par- 
don, but  the  danger  threatens  me  alone.  I  have 
never  thought  to  treat  you  as  a  child,  but  I  con- 
sidered it  my  duty  not  to  enlighten  the  Baroness 
Windeg  in  regard  to  matters  which  must  be  indif- 
ferent to  her,  and  which  in  a  short  time  will  be  as 
foreign  from  her  as  the  name  she  now  bears." 

The  tone  of  the  reply  was  icy  cold,  and  it  washer 
own  tone,  the  one  she  had  often  enough  used  to- 
ward him  when  she  felt  it  necessary  to  impress  him 
with  her  high  rank  and  the  compulsory  nature 
of  her  marriage  to  him.  Now  he  gave  her  a  lesson 
with  it.  In  the  dark  eyes  of  the  young  woman 
flashed  something  like  scorn  as  she  fixed  them  upon 
her  husband. 

"  And  so  you  deny  me  all  information  in  regard 
to  your  affairs  ?" 

"  If  you  wish  it — no." 

Eugenie  seemed  for  some  moments  to  struggle 
with  herself. 

"  Have  you  refused  your  miners  their  demands  ?" 
she  asked  at  last. 

"  What  I  could  grant  and  what  the  workmen  of 
themselves  asked  I  have  granted.  With  Hartmann's 
extreme  demands  I  can  do  nothing.  Their  neces- 
sary consequences,  if  granted,  would  be  the  subver- 
sion of  all  discipline.  They  would  end  in  anarchy  ; 
and  then  they  are  really  insulting.  He  would 
hardly  have  dared  make  them  had  he  not  known 
what  I  have  at  stake  in  this  contest." 

"  And  what  have  you  at  stake  ?"  asked  Eugenie 
in  breathless  suspense — "  your  fortune  ?" 


GOOD  LUCK.  199 

"  More  still— my  life  !" 

"  And  you  will  not  yield  ?" 

"Not* 

In  dumb  surprise  the  young  wife  gazed  at  her 
husband,  at  this  man  who  only  three  months  ago 
could  endure  no  "  scene "  with  her  because  it 
affected  his  nerves,  and  who  with  such  composure 
bared  his  brow  to  a  conflict  in  which  his  very  life 
was  at  stake.  Was  he  really  the  same  ?  It  had  an 
iron  ring,  this  "  No  ;"  and  she  felt  that  with  just  as 
iron  a  will  he  would  oppose  the  wildest  threats  of 
the  miners. 

"  I  fear  that  Hartmann  will  pursue  the  quarrel  to 
extremities/'  she  replied.  "  lie  hates  you." 

Arthur's  lips  curled  in  a  disdainful  smile. 

"I  know  it,"  he  said.   "  The  sentiment  is  mutual." 

Eugenie  thought  of  those  wild,  flaming  eyes  when 
upon  the  hill  she  had  mentioned  her  husband's  name, 
and  a  sudden  anguish  came  over  her. 

"You  should  not  underrate  this  man's  hatred, 
Arthur.  He  is  terrible  in  his  passion  as  in  his 
energy." 

Arthur  gave  her  a  sullen  glance. 

"Do  you  know  him  so  well?  But  a  little  while 
ago  you  thought  this  blouse  hero  wTorthy  of  your 
admiration.  A  low,  worthless  energy — that  which 
scorns  impossibilities  and  would  rather  drag  hun- 
dreds into  ruin  than  listen  to  a  word  of  reason;  but 
even  Hartmann  may  find  a  wall  against  which  his 
stubborn  obstinacy  will  beat  in  vain.  He  will  force 
nothing  from  me.  I  will  fight  the  battle  through, 
even  to  my  own  overthrow-" 


200  GOOD  LUCK 

Suddenly  he  reined  in  his  horse,  and  Eugenie  did 
the  same.  The  forest  road  here  intersected  a  wind- 
ing of  the  highway,  and  in  this  they  saw  what  they 
especially  wished  to  avoid — a  crowd  of  miners  who 
had  halted  and  seemed  to  await  something.  Arthur 
frowned. 

"  It  seems  that  we  cannot  avoid  a  meeting." 

"Shall  we  turn  around  ?"  asked  Eugenie  in  a  low 
voice. 

"  Too  •  late  !  They  have  already  remarked  us. 
We  cannot  avoid  them ;  to  turn  around  would  be 
flight.  It  is  a  pity  we  are  on  horseback ;  that  will 
enrage  them  still  more.  But  we  must  here  show 
no  signs  of  weakness ;  we  must  go  on." 

"  And  yet  you  have  feared  this  meeting !" 

"  Not  for  myself,  but  for  you.  Now  it  cannot  be 
avoided  ;  but  you  at  least  are  not  alone.  Hold  Afra 
tight  in  rein  and  remain  close  by  my  side.  Perhaps 
we  may  pass  without  trouble." 

These  words  were  softly  and  quickly  exchanged 
during  scarce  a  minute's  halt.  Now  they  rode 
slowly  onward  and  passed  out  into  the  high-i*oad. 

Arthur  was  right.  The  manner  of  meeting  could 
scarce  have  been,  worse.  The  workmen  were  in  an 
excited  condition,  inflamed  and  imbittered  by  the 
scene  just  passed  at  the  forges.  They  had  already 
begun  to  suffer  from  the  results  of  their  opposition, 
and  now  they  saw  their  chief,  who  would  not  yield 
to  their  demands,  mounted  on  horseback  by  the 
side  of  his  high-born  wife,  as  they  thought  return- 
ing from  a  pleasure  ride — a  dangerous  sight  for 


GOOD  LUCK.  201 

men  already  struggling  against  starvation.  A  low 
muttering  became  audible,  followed  by  half-uttered 
threats  and  insulting  words.  They  subsided  as  the 
two  reached  the  highway,  but  the  whole  throng, 
as  with  one  consent,  formed  in  a  dense  mass  to  pre- 
vent the  riders'  passage. 

Arthur's  lips  again  showed  that  slight  nervous 
quiver  which  with  him  was  the  only  outward  token 
of  excitement,  but  his  hand  did  not  tremble  in  the 
least  as  he  grasped  Afra's  bridle,  in  any  event  to 
keep  the  animal  close  to  himself. 

u  Oluck  auf!" 

The  greeting  remained  unanswered.  Not  a  single 
one  of  the  whole  throng  returned  it.  Instead,  hos- 
tile glances  upon  both  darted  from  all  sides,  and 
those  standing  nearest  pressed  still  more  closely 
forward. 

"Will  you  not  let  us  pass?"  asked  Arthur 
gravely.  "  The  horses  will  become  restless  if  you 
crowd  so.  Make  way  !" 

In  spite  of  the  danger  of  the  situation,  which  she 
fully  comprehended,  Eugenie  gazed  in  astonishment 
at  her  husband.  It  was  the  first  time  she  had  heard 
this  tone  from  his  lips ;  it  rang  very  calm,  but  it 
had  none  the  less  the  full  authority  of  the  master 
to  his  underlings.  This  demeanor  of  Arthur's, 
though  certainly  venturesome  at  such  a  moment, 
would  have  proved  an  absolute  success  if  the  crowd 
had  been  without  a  leader.  But  now  all  eyes  turned 
in  one  direction,  as  if  from  there  alone  they  ex- 
pected the  signal  for  obedience  or  opposition.  Up 


202  GOOD  LUCK. 

yonder  stood  Ulrich  Hartmann,  who  had  just  come 
down  from  the  hill,  and  whom  they  evidently  were 
awaiting  here.  He  stood  immovable,  his  arms 
crossed,  his  eyes  fixed  upon  Berkow  and  his  wife ; 
but  there  was  nothing  good  in  the  expression  of 
these  eyes. 

Arthur's  glance  had  followed  the  others.  He 
now  turned  quite  around. 

"  Hartmann,"  he  said,  "  are  you  leader  to-day  ? 
Well,  see  that  your  men  let  us  pass.  We  are  wait- 
ing." 

Had  there  been  in  these  words  the  slightest  trace 
of  a  command  or  an  entreaty,  no  matter  which, 
they  would  have  been  as  a  spark  in  a  powder-keg ; 
and  Ulrich,  indeed,  seemed  only  to  await  this  spark. 
But  this  cool  request  for  him  to  give  orders  here, 
assuming  this  to  be  his  self-evident  duty,  and  at  the 
same  time  recognizing  his  authority,  impressed 
without  offending  him.  He  came  slowly  forward. 

"  Ah !  I  see  you  wish  to  ride  on,  Herr  Berkow." 

"  Certainly.  We  wish  to  pass  over  to  the  other 
side  of  the  road." 

An  annihilating  hatred  flamed  up  in  Ulrich's 
eyes. 

"  And  do  you  call  me  here  to  win  you  this  favor  ? 
You  are  master  of  your  works  and  your  workmen  : 
command  them  to  give  place  to  you.  Or  " — here 
his  voice  again  became  hollow  and  threatening— 
"  perhaps  you  now  believe  that  /am  master  here — 
that  I  need  only  speak  a  word  to  prove  it  to  you  ?" 

Eugenie  had  become  very  pale  as  she  urged  her 


GOOD  LUCK.  203 

horse  closer  to  her  husband's  side.  She  knew  that 
those  flashing  eyes  did  not  threaten  her:  it  was  not 
for  herself  she  trembled.  Now  courage  failed  her 
to  try  the  might  of  that  power  before  which  Ulrich 
himself  had  bowed.  She  felt  that  this  power  would 
be  without  avail  while  he  saw  her  at  her  husband's 
side. 

':  A  hundred  are  always  masters  against  one," 
said  Arthur  coolly.  "  I  cannot  think  you  mean  to 
kill  me,  Hartmann.  Would  you  not  feel  safe  if,  at 
this  moment,  3*011  accidental!}'  found  yourself  in  the 
presence  of  my  officers  ?  I  think  I  am  safe  here — 
safe  as  in  my  own  house." 

Ulrich  gave  no  answer.  He  looked  sullenly  at 
the  young  man,  who  with  perfect  repose  halted  be- 
fore him  and  with  those  clear  brown  eyes  gazed  at 
him  unwaveringly,  as  when  the  quarrel  first  broke 
out.  At  that  time,  it  is  true,  he  had  stood  in  his 
conference  chamber  surrounded  and  protected  by 
his  officers ;  now  he  found  himself  alone,  in  the 
midst  of  an  excited  mob,  who  only  waited  the  sig- 
nal to  break  loose  upon  him  with  insult,  perhaps 
violence ;  and  still  not  a  muscle  of  his  face  quivered, 
still  his  bearing  was  proud  and  secure,  his  glance 
fearless,  as  if  he  knew  and  felt  himself  master  even 
here. 

Such  calmness  and  fearlessness  did  not  fail  of 
their  impression  upon  this  throng,  accustomed  to 
obedience.  The  only  question  remained,  Whom 
should  they  now  obey  ?  For  the  second  time  they 
turned  inquiringly  to  Ulrich,  who  still  stood  there 


204  GOOD  LUCK. 

silent.     He  looked  up.  then  aside  to  the  pale  face 
of  Eugenie.     All  at  once  he  stepped  back. 

"  Make  way  there,"  he  said,  "  so  that  the  horses 
can  pass.  There  to  the  left." 

The  command  was  at  once  obeyed,  with  an  alac 
rity  which  showed  that  the  men  obeyed  it  not  un- 
willingly. In  less  than  a  minute  the  way  was  open 
and  Berkow  and  his  wife  rode  on  unhindered.  At 
the  other  side  of  the  highway  they  again  took  the 
forest  road  and  immediately  vanished  between  the 
trees. 

"  Listen,  Ulrich  " — with  a  sort  of  good-natured 
reproach  Lorenz  stepped  up  to  his  comrade — "  just 
now  you  flew  at  me  because  up  at  the  forges  I 
spoke  of  peace.  "What  have  you  done  now  ?" 

Ulrich  still  stared  over  to  the  forest.  Now,  when 
the  presence  of  the  chief  no  longer  influenced  him, 
he  seemed  to  regret  his  sudden  magnanimous  im- 
pulse. 

" '  A  hundred  against  one  !'  "  muttered  he  bit- 
terly, "  and  '  I  am  safe  in  your  midst !'  Ah,  yes ; 
fine  speeches  never  fail  them  when  they  are  afraid  ; 
and  such  as  we  keep  biting  away  at  the  old  bait." 

"  He  did  not  look  as  if  he  was  afraid,"  said 
Lorenz  decidedly.  "  He  is  not  at  all  like  his  father. 
Ulrich,  we  had  better — 

"  What  had  we  better  do  ?"  interrupted  Ulrich 
angrily.  "  Give  in,  had  we  ?  So  that  you  can  only 
once  more  have  peace  and  quiet  and  he  carry 
things  with  a  higher  hand  than  even  his  father 
when  he  sees  that  all  goes  well  with  him.  If  I  let 


GOOD  LUCK.  205 

him  go  to-day,  it  was  because  he  was  not  alone — be- 
cause he  had  his  wife  with  him,  and  because " 

He  broke  off  suddenly.  The  proud,  reticent 
man  would  sooner  have  bitten  otf  his  tongue  than 
let  his  comrade  know  what  power  had  forced  him 
to  spare  the  man  he  hated. 

Meantime  Arthur  and  Eugenie  had  ridden  on  in 
silence.  As  if  the  danger  just  past  had  drawn  them 
nearer,  they  still  let  their  horses  keep  close  together 
and  Arthur  still  held  Afra's  bridle,  although  there 
was  nothing  more  to  fear ;  and  this  precaution  in 
case  of  so  excellent  a  horsewoman  as  Eugenie  was 
quite  superfluous. 

"Now  you  comprehend  the  danger  of  your  to- 
day's excursion?  "  he  asked  at  length. 

"  Yes ;  but  also  the  danger  of  your  position." 

"  I  must  bear  it.  You  have  yourself  seen  what 
blind  obedience  this  Hartmann  knows  how  to  en- 
force. A  word  from  him  and  they  let  us  ride  on 
unhindered  ;  not  a  single  one  dared  murmur,  and 
yet  they  were  all  only  waiting  a  signal  from  him  to 
turn  against  us." 

"  But  he  did  not  give  the  signal,"  said  Eugenie. 

Arthur  again  fixed  upon  her  that  long,  lowering 
gaze. 

"  No,  not  to-day.  He  best  knows  what  restrained 
him.  But  he  will  to-morrow,  day  after  to-morrow, 
if  we  chance  to  meet  again.  I  am  quite  certain  of 
that." 

At  the  outlet  of  the  forest  they  spurred  their 
horses  to  a  quicker  trot,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour 


206  GOOD  LUCK. 

reached  the  terrace  of  the  country-house.  Arthur 
swung  himself  from  the  saddle.  How  light  and 
elastic  were  his  movements  in  comparison  with  his 
former  sluggish  ways!  He  extended  his  hand  to 
help  down  his  wife,  but  the  pallor  upon  her  face 
had  deepened ;  she  trembled  slightly  as  he  placed 
his  arm  around  her,  and  this  trembling  grew  more 
violent  as  his  arms  held  her  a  moment  longer  than 
ever  before  when  he  had  offered  her  such  assist- 
ance. 

"  Were  you  frightened  ?"  asked  he  softly  as  he 
took  her  arm  to  conduct  her  into  the  house. 

Eugenie  gave  no  answer.  Ah,  yes !  she  had 
passed  through  deathly  anguish  at  that  scene;  but 
she  would  sooner  have  borne  to  be  deemed  cow- 
ardly by  him  than  let  him  suspect  that  she  had 
trembled  for  his  sake.  And  still  a  suspicion  of  this 
seemed  to  dawn  upon  him. 

"  Were  you  frightened,  Eugenie  ?"  repeated  he. 
His  voice  sounded  so  tender,  so  subdued,  and  he 
drew  her  arm  closer  an.d  closer  to  his  breast.  She 
lifted  her  eyes  to  him  :  there  it  was  again — that 
deep,  magical  uplighting  of  his,  only  more  glowing, 
more  treacherous  than  she  had  ever  before  seen  ; 
and  he  bent  close  down  to  her  so  as  not  to  lose  a 
syllable  of  her  answer. 

"  Arthur,  I— 

"  The  Herr  Baron  Windeg  and  his  eldest  son 
arrived  half  an  hour  ago,"  reported  a  servant, 
hastily  coming  to  meet  them  ;  and  the  announce- 
ment was  scarce  made,  when  the  young  baron  ap- 


GOOD  LUCK.  207 

peared  and,  with  all  the  fire  of  his  eighteen  years, 
rushed  down  the  step  to  greet  his  sister,  whom  he 
had  not  seen  since  her  marriage. 

-'  Ah,  Curt !  is  it  you  ?"  The  young  woman  felt 
almost  a  spasm  of  pain  at  the  arrival  of  her  father 
and  brother,  for  which,  under  other  circumstances, 
she  had  so  longed.  At  the  moment  when  the  name 
"\Vindeg  was  spoken  Arthur  let  fall  her  hand.  She 
saw  how  icy  cold  were  his  features  and  heard  how 
icy  cold  were  the  tones  of  his  voice  as  with  distant 
politeness  he  saluted  his  brother-in-law. 

"  Will  you  not  accompany  us  ?"  asked  Eugenie  as 
he  paused  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs. 

"  Pardon  me  if  I  beg  you  to  receive  your  father 
alone.  I  had — forgotten  something,  and  it  has  just 
come  to  my  mind.  I  will  as  soon  as  possible  pay 
my  respects  to  the  baron." 

He  stepped  back,  while  Eugenie  and  her  brother 
ascended  the  stairs  without  him.  The  brother  ap- 
peared to  be  somewhat  surprised,  but  a  glance  at 
his  sister's  pale  face  bade  him  repress  the  questions 
that  already  trembled  on  his  lips.  He  could  very 
well  imagine  how  matters  stood.  Had  this  parvenu, 
on  the  ride,  been  indulging  in  new  insults  to  his 
sister  ?  The  young  baron  hurled  down  a  threaten- 
ing glance  to  his  brother-in-law,  and  then,  with  a 
fresh  outburst  of  tenderness,  he  said  to  his  sister : 

"  Eugenie,  I  am  so  delighted  to  see  you  again  ; 
and  you  ?" 

The  young  woman  forced  a  smile. 

"  I,  too,  am  delighted  to  see  you,  Curt,  inexpress- 


208  GOOD  LUCK. 

ibly  delighted  !"  At  the  same  moment  she  glanced 
down  into  the  vestibule,  but  it  was  empty  :  Arthur 
had  left  already.  She  clrew  herself  up  in  wounded 
pride.  "  Let  us  go  to  father,"  she  said ;  "  he  is 
waiting." 


GOOD  LUCK.  209 


CHAPTER  XII. 

AMONG  all  the  dwellers  upon  the  Berkow  estates, 
there  was  perhaps  only  a  single  one  who  took  this 
srulden  and  violent  quarrel  between  the  chief  and 
his  workmen  from  any  other  than  its  threatening 
side ;  and  this  one  was  Herr  Wilberg.  In  the  blond 
head  of  this  young  officer  lay  concealed  so  much 
extravagant  and  high-flown  romance  that  he  could 
not  help  regarding  the  danger  of  the  situation  and 
the  bitter  dissensions  which  at  any  moment  might 
result  in  a  catastrophe  as  in  the  highest  degree  in- 
teresting. 

In  truth,  his  admiration  for  Ulrich  Hartmann 
had  been  entirely  transferred  to  the  young  chief 
since  he  had  stepped  to  the  helm  of  affairs  and 
grasped  the  reins  with  a  firmness  none  would  have 
believed  possible  from  a  hand  that  had  seemed  so 
weak.  The  newly  developed  energy  with  which 
Arthur  had  endeavored  to  make  himself  at  home  in 
this  new  field,  and  to  stem  the  tide  of  losses  and 
dangers  breaking  in  upon  him  from  all  sides,  de- 
manded in  the  highest  degree  the  support  of  the 
upper  officers:  the  younger  official  gentlemen, 
whose  duties  for  the  time  were  for  the  most  part  at 
an  end,  were  enjoying  an  unwelcome  repose  ;  and 
Herr  Wilberg  employed  this  in  nursing  his  sup- 


210  GOOD  LUCK. 

posed  passion  for  her  ladyship  and  imagining  him- 
self as  unhappy  as  possible. 

To  tell  the  truth,  the  latter  became  somewhat 
difficult  to  him  as,  upon  the  whole,  he  found  him- 
self very  comfortable  in  this  hopeless  passion.  To 
appear  poetic  in  his  eyes,  a  love  must  needs  be  un- 
happy :  with  a  happy  love  he  really  would  not  have 
known  what  to  do.  This  distant  adoration  per- 
fectly suited  him,  and  he  found  abundant  opportuni- 
ties to  yield  himself  up  to  it,  as  he  seldom  or  never 
approached  its  object. 

Since  that  day  when  he  had  accompanied  her 
ladyship  through  the  park  he  had  spoken  to  her 
but  once.  At  an  accidental  meeting  Eugenie  had 
sought  from  him  more  exact  information  as  to  the 
significance  of  the  strike  which  had  broken  out 
among  the  mines.  But  Herr  Berkow  had  given 
strict  directions  to  his  officers  not  in  any  manner  to 
excite  the  anxiety  of  his  wife,  and  Wilberg  obeyed 
so  far  as  to  keep  silence  in  regard  to  the  present 
position  of  affairs. 

And  yet  he  could  not  avoid  describing  as  mi- 
nutely as  possible  the  scene  which  had  taken  place 
in  the  conference  chamber  between  her  husband 
and  Hartmann,  and  as  he  must  needs  revel  in  the 
romantic,  this  scene  in  his  mouth  assumed  such  a 
dramatic  interest,  and  the  young  chief,  with  his 
suddenly  awakened  energy,  grew  to  such  an  heroic 
personage,  that  it  was  incomprehensible  how  the 
description  could  so  entirely  fail  in  its  effect. 

Eugenie  certainly  had  listened  with   breathless 


GOOD  LUCK. 


interest,  but  she  had  become  noticeably  pale  and 
strangely  silent  during  the  whole  recital  ;  and  at 
its  conclusion  the  narrator  awaited  in  vain  for  an 
expression  from  her  lips.  Without  the  least  allu- 
sion to  the  subject  she  politely  thanked  him  and 
then  coolly  dismissed  him  ;  and  the  young  man 
went  away  in  the  highest  degree  astonished  and 
somewhat  wounded  at  her  want  of  sympathy. 

And  even  her  ladyship  had  no  sense  of  the  poesy 
of  such  a  situation.  Or  had  she,  perhaps,  failed  in 
appreciating  this  because  her  husband  was  the 
hero  ?  Any  other  would  have  triumphed  in  the 
thought  ;  but  Wilberg's  poetic  fancies,  so  long  in- 
dulged, had  subverted  all  natural  emotions.  He 
was  wounded  because  the  eloquent  description,  his 
description,  had  so  entirely  failed  in  its  effect.  He 
already  felt  something  of  that  glacial  atmosphere 
which  the  chief  engineer  had  spoken  of  as  surround- 
ing her  ladyship.  She  all  at  once  became  so  high, 
so  distant,  so  unapproachable  that  the  most  he 
could  have  expected  of  her  was  a  polite  dismissal. 
He  must  still  believe  this  and  worship  her  uncondi- 
tionally or  imagine  himself  a  very  commonplace, 
unimportant  person  ;  and  to  imagine  such  a  thing 
would  have  been  impossible  to  Herr  Wilberg. 

Absorbed  in  thought,  he  had  approached  the 
overseer's  dwelling,  and  as  he  usually  looked 
neither  to  the  right  nor  left,  on  the  bridge  he  ran 
against  a  young  lady  just  coming  down  the  hill. 
"With  a  low  cry  she  sprang  to  one  side  to  avoid  the 
shock,  and  Wilberg  now,  for  the  first  time  seeing 
her,  stammered  an  embarrassed  apology. 


212  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Fraulein  Melanie,"  he  said. 
"  I  did  not  see  you.  I  was  so  lost  in  thought  that  I 
paid  no  attention  to  anything  around  me." 

Fraulein  Melanie  was  the  daughter  of  the  chief 
engineer,  whose  house  the  young  officer  sometimes 
visited ;  but  his  thoughts,  as  may  be  supposed,  took 
so  high  a  flight  that  he  paid  little  attention  to  this 
girl  of  sixteen  years,  who  certainly  possessed  a 
graceful  figure,  a  pretty  face,  and  a  pair  of  roguish 
eyes.  But  there  was  nothing  romantic  about  her. 
Such  girls  were  far  from  being  poetic  enough  for 
Herr  Wilberg,  and  as  for  Melanie,  she  had  never 
troubled  herself  much  about  the  blond  young  officer, 
who  seemed  rather  tiresome  to  her,  and  who  now 
by  a  few  polite  words  deemed  it  necessary  to  atone 
for  his  involuntary  rudeness. 

"  You  seem  just  returning  from  a  walk,  fraulein," 
he  said.  "  Did  you  go  far  ?" 

"  Oh,  no !  not  at  all  far.  Papa  has  forbidden  me 
long  walks  and  does  not  like  to  have  me  go  out 
alone.  Tell  me,  Herr  Wilberg,  is  there  really  so 
much  danger  from  our  miners  ?'" 

"Danger?  What  makes  you  think  of  that?" 
asked  Wilberg  diplomatically. 

"  Well,  I  do  not  know ;  but  papa  is  so  grave 
sometimes  that  it  makes  me  sad  and  anxious.  He 
has  already  spoken  of  sending  mamma  and  me  to 
visit  in  the  city." 

The  young  man  put  on  a  lugubrious  face. 

"  The  times  are  serious,  fearfully  serious,  Fraulein 
Melanie,"  he  said.  "  I  cannot  blame  your  father 


GOOD  LUCK.  213 

for  seeking  security  for  his  wife  and  daughter, 
while  we  must  stand  and  tight  to  the  last  man." 

"  To  the  last  man !"  cried  the  young  girl  in 
horror.  "  For  God's  sake  !  my  poor  papa  !" 

"  Well,  I  am  only  speaking  figuratively,"  said 
Wilberg  soothingly.  "  We  need  have  no  fear  of 
personal  danger,  and  even  should  it  come  to  that, 
the  age  of  our  chief  engineer,  his  duties  as  a  husband 
and  father,  exclude  him.  We  younger  ones  must 
step  into  the  breach." 

"  And  you  too !"  asked  Melanie  with  a  somewhat 
distrustful  glance. 

"  Certainly,  Fraulein  Melanie.     I  first  of  all." 

Herr  Wilberg,  who,  to  give  more  emphasis  to 
this  declaration,  had  solemnly  laid  his  hand  upon 
his  heart,  all  at  once  sprang  backward  and  hastily 
retreated  over  to  the  other  side  of  the  road,  where 
with  equal  celerity  Melanie  followed  him.  Close 
behind  them  stood  the  giant  figure  of  Hartmann. 
He  had  come  over  the  bridge  unremarked,  and  a  dis- 
dainful smile  now  overspread  his  face  as  he  noticed 
the  terror  of  the  two  young  people. 

"  You  need  not  be  so  frightened,  Herr  Wilberg," 
he  said.  "  I  shall  not  harm  you." 

The  young  officer  seemed  to  feel  the  ludicrous- 
ness  of  his  sudden  retreat  and  to  see  that  as  com- 
panion and  protector  of  a  young  girl  a  different 
demeanor  was  required  of  him.  He  hastily  recalled 
his  courage,  and  placing  himself  right  before  the 
terrified  Melanie,  with  something  of  firmness  he 
said: 


214  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  I  cannot  believe,  Hartmann,  that  you  will 
attack  us  here  on  the  open  street." 

"  The  officers  all  appear  to  believe  as  much,"  said 
Ulrich  derisively.  "  As  soon  as  they  catch  a 
glimpse  of  me  they  run  off  as  if  I  were  a  highway 
robber.  Only  Herr  Berkow  acts  otherwise."  In 
Hartmann's  voice  there  was  an  envenomed  tone,  as 
if  he  could  not  calmly  speak  that  hated  name. 
"Even  if  I  had  the  whole  herd  of  miners  behind  me 
he  would  defy  me." 

"  Herr  Berkow  and  her  ladyship  are  the  only 
ones  in  the  whole  works  who  suspect  nothing,"  said 
Wilberg  unguardedly. 

"Who  suspect  nothing  about  what?"  asjred 
Ulrich  morosely,  and  slowly  turning  his  eyes  upon 
Wilberg. 

Whether  the  young  officer  was  enraged  by  this 
merciless  irony  of  himself  and  his  colleagues  or 
whether  he  thought  it  necessary  to  play  the  hero  in 
Melanie's  presence,  we  cannot  say.  However  this 
may  be,  he  had  a  sudden  spasm  of  courage,  such  as 
not  seldom  drives  timid  natures  to  extremes,  and 
returned  hastily  : 

"  We  do  not  run  from  you,  Hartmann,  because 
you  stir  up  the  workmen  to  revolt  and  make  all 
understanding  with  them  impossible:  certainly  not 
for  that.  But  we  go  out  of  your  way  because"— 
here  he  lowered  his  voice  so  that  Melanie  could  not 
understand  the  words — "  because  the  rope  broke 
when  you  were  coming  up  with  Herr  Berkow.  If 
you  must  know,  this  is  why  all  shun  you." 


GOOD  LUCK.  215 

The  words  were  very  thoughtless,  very  bold 
certainly,  for  a  man  like  Wilberg;  and  he  had 
little  dreamed  of  their  effect.  Ulrich  started  back 
with  a  repressed  yet  fearful  cry  of  rage,  but  at  the 
same  moment  his  face  became  white  as  that  of  a 
corpse.  The  threateningly  clinched  fist  sank  and 
convulsively  clutched  at  the  iron  trellis- work  of  the 
bridge.  With  throbbing  breast,  with  set  teeth,  he 
stood  there  ;  and  his  glance  flashed  down  upon  the 
man  before  him  as  if  it  would  annihilate  him  with 
one  lightning  stroke. 

This  was  too  severe  a  trial  for  the  courage  of  the 
two  young  people.  They  did  not  know  which  ran 
first,  carrying  along  the  other  •  but  they  both  ran 
Avith  all  possible  speed,  and  not  until  several  houses 
lay  between  them  and  the  man  they  feared,  and 
they  were  sure  that  he  was  not  following,  did  they 
moderate  their  pace. 

"For  Heaven's  sake,  what  was  it  you  said  to  that 
horrible  man — that  Hartmann — that  so  excited 
him  ?"  asked  Melanie  tremblingly.  "  What  temerity 
to  enrage  him  so!" 

The  young  man  smiled,  although  it  was  Avith 
white  lips.  It  was  the  first  time  in  his  life  that  he 
had  been  reproached  with  temerity,  and  he  was 
conscious  of  having  in  the  fullest  measure  deserved 
the  reproach.  Now  he  saw  the  Avhole  magnitude  of 
his  venture. 

"  My  pride  as  an  officer  was  wounded — it  was  my 
duty  to  guard  you,  fraulein.  You  see  that  in  con- 
sequence of  my  Avords  he  did  not  venture  near  us." 


216  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  No ;  we  ran  away  at  the  right  time,"  said 
Melanie  naively.  "  And  it  was  fortunate  we  did 
so.  He  would  have  killed  us  if  we  had  not." 

"  I  ran  away  for  your  sake,"  returned  Wilberg 
sensitively.  "Alone,  I  would  in  any  event  have 
withstood  him,  even  if  it  had  cost  me  my  life." 

"  But  that  would  have  been  so  sad,"  remarked  the 
younff  lady.  "  You  make  such  pretty  verses  !" 

Wilberg  blushed  in  the  most  delighted  surprise. 

"  Do  you  know  my  verses  ?"  he  asked.  "  I  did 
not  suppose  that  in  your  house — your  father  is 
somewhat  prejudiced  against  my  poetical  bent." 

"  Yes,  papa  was  a  little  while  ago  speaking  to  the 
director  about  it,"  said  Melanie;  and  then  she 
stopped  suddenly.  She  could  not  tell  the  .young 
poet  that  her  father,  with  the  most  cutting  irony 
and  malicious  comments,  had  read  to  his  colleague 
the  verses  which  to  her  sixteen-year-old  tastes 
seemed  so  touching  and  beautiful ;  that  he  at  last 
had  thrown  the  sheet  upon  the  table  with  the 
words :  "  And  in  such  foolery  as  this  the  man 
passes  his  time." 

She  had  thought  this  ridicule  in  the  highest 
degree  unjust  to  Herr  Wilberg,  who  had  ceased  to 
be  tiresome  to  her  now  that  she  had  learned  of  that 
unhappy  love  which  pervaded  and  inspired  his 
verses.  This  explained  and  excused  all  his  peculiar- 
ities. She  hastened  to  assure  him  that  for  her  part 
she  found  his  poetry  delightful,  and  somewhat 
timidly,  yet  in  the  most  sympathetic  manner,  she 
began  to  console  him  for  his  supposed  misfortune. 


GOOD  LUCK.  217 

Herr  Wilberg  allowed  himself  to  be  consoled. 
He  found  it  agreeable  beyond  description  to  have 
met  at  last  a  being  who  understood  him,  and  far 
more  agreeable  to  receive  her  consolations. 

Both  young  people  deeply  regretted  having  so 
soon  reached  the  engineer's  dwelling,  and  it  was 
with  real  unhappiness  that  they  saw  this  gentleman, 
in  his  own  exalted  person,  standing  at  a  win- 
dow and  gazing  at  them  with  critical,  astonished 
glances. 

Wilberg  had  no  desire  to  encounter  the  inevitable 
raillery  of  his  superior  if  Melanie  should  incident- 
ally happen  to  allude  to  the  meeting  with  Hart- 
mann  and  their  running  away  from  him  as  if  on  a 
wager.  He  therefore  parted  from  the  young  girl 
with  the  assurance  that  she  had  dropped  balsam 
into  his  heart,  and  Melanie  tripped  up  the  stairs 
racking  her  brains  as  to  who  might  be  the  object  of 
the  young  officer's  interesting  but  unhappy  passion. 

In  the  dwelling  of  Overseer  Hartmann  the  old 
man  sat  at  a  table,  his  head  buried  in  his  hands. 
Not  far  from  him,  at  a  window,  stood  Lorenz  and 
Martha  as  Ulrich  opened  the  sitting-room  door. 
At  his  entrance  the  conversation  of  the  three  stopped 
so  suddenly  that  the  young  miner  must  have  sup- 
posed that  he  had  been  its  subject. 

But,  not  seeming  to  notice,  he  closed  the  door 
behind  him,  and  without  word  or  greeting  threw 
himself  into  the  great  arm-chair  by  the  stove. 

'•'  Glack  an/ 7"  said  the  overseer,  turning  to  him. 
"  Do  you  no  longer  think  it  worth  your  while  to 
give  us  greeting?" 


218  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Do  not  annoy  me,  father  !"  burst  out  Ulrich  im- 
patiently, again  throwing  back  his  head  and  press- 
ing his  hand  against  his  forehead. 

The  overseer  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  turned 
away.  Martha  left  her  place  by  the  window  and 
sat  down  by  her  uncle  to  resume  the  work  she  had 
dropped  in  her  conversation  with  Lorenz.  For  somo 
moments  an  oppressive  silence  reigned  in  the  room. 
At  last  Lorenz  stepped  up  to  Ulrich  and  said: 

"  Steiger  Wilms  has  been  here  to  speak  with  you, 
Ulrich,  and  will  return  in  an  hour.  He  has  been  all 
over  the  neighboring  works." 

Ulrich  started  up,  passing  his  hand  over  his  fore- 
head as  if  he  would  chase  away  a  tormenting 
dream. 

"Well,  how  is  it?"  he  asked;  but  the  question 
seemed  half-mechanical,  as  if  he  could  not  quite 
recall  the  subject  of  conversation. 

"  They  are  all  going  to  join  us,"  said  Lorenz. 
"Our  taking  the  lead  seems  to  have  given  them 
courage.  There  is  rebellion  everywhere.  The  up- 
per forges  are  to  begin,  and  the  other  works  to 
follow  unless  all  their  demands  are  immediately 
granted,  and  that  is  not  to  be  thought  of.  In  a 
week  the  mines  and  forges  of  the  whole  district  will 
stop." 

"At  last!"  Ulrich  sprang  up  as  if  electrified. 
His  absence  and  dreaming  had  all  at  once  vanished. 
The  whole  elasticity  of  the  man  had  returned.  "At 
last!"  he  repeated  with  a  deep  breath.  "It  was 
indeed  time.  They  have  long  enough  left  us 
alone." 


GOOD  LUCK.  219 

"  Because  we  alone  took  the  lead." 

"That  may  be,  but  we  could  not  wait.  Things 
here  were  not  as  in  the  other  works.  Every  day 
brought  the  Berkows  a  step  forward  and  us  a  step 
backward.  ,  Is  Wilms  over  at  the  villages?  He 
must  immediately  tell  this  to  his  comrades.  It  will 
give  them  courage." 

"They  need  something  to  give  them  courage," 
said  the  overseer  gravely.  "  Not  a  stroke  of  work 
has  been  done  for  a  fortnight.  You  wait  and  wait 
for  a  concession,  for  a  compromise  at  least,  which 
in  your  opinion  must  come,  and  yet  you  wait  in 
vain.  The  officers  shun  you  and  the  master  does 
not  look  as  if  he  would  yield  an  inch.  I  tell  you, 
Ulrich,  'tis  high  time  you  found  allies. " 

"  Oh,  no !  not  at  all,  father,"  began  the  young 
man.  "  We  have  been  idle  scarce  two  weeks,  and 
I  have  told  you  that  in  case  of  necessity  we  can  hold 
out  two  months  if  we  would  conquer;  and  conquer 
we  must." 

The  old  man  shook  his  head. 

"  Two  months !  You  can  hold  out  that  length  of 
time,  Ulrich  ;  so  can  I  and  Lorenz,  but  not  those 
who  have  wives  and  children." 

"  They  must"  said  Ulrich  coolly.  "  I  had  thought 
we  might  carry  this  through  more  quickly  and 
easily,  but  I  erred.  If  those  above  us  insist  on 
driving  us  to  extremities,  we  will  let  them  taste 
those  extremities  to  the  last  drop." 

"  Or  they  us,"  interposed  Lorenz.  "  If  the  master 
really " 


220  GOOD  LUCK. 

Ulrich  stamped  furiously. 

"  The  master,  and  always  the  master !  Have  you, 
then,  no  other  designation  for  this  Berkow  ?  You 
did  not  use  to  call  him  so ;  but  since  he  has  told  you 
to  your  face  what  he  is  and  what  he  will  do  you  call 
him  no  other  name.  I  tell  you  if  we  succeed  we  are 
the  masters  ;  then  he  will  have  only  the  name  and 
we  the  power.  He  knows  right  well  that  it  will  end 
in  this.  That  is  why  he  resists  us  so  and  why  all 
our  demands  must  be  granted  at  any  price." 

"  Try  it"  said  the  overseer  curtly.  " See  if  you 
alone  can  turn  the  world  upside  down.  It  is  a 
long  time  since  I  have  had  a  word  to  say  about  it." 

Lorenz  took  his  hat  from  the  window-sill  and 
made  ready  to  leave." 

"  You  know  how  far  we  can  go,"  he  said.  "  You 
are  our  leader,  Ulrich." 

Ulrich's  face  grew  dark. 

"  Yes,  I  am  your  leader,"  he  replied.  "  But  I  had 
thought  it  more  easy  to  hold  you  together.  You 
make  things  difficult  enough." 

We  ?"  asked  the  young  miner  excitedly.  "  You 
surely  cannot  complain  of  us :  we  all  obey  y6u  at 
your  word."  _ 

"  Obey !"  With  a  morose,  searching  glance  Ul- 
rich measured  his  comrade's  face.  "  No,"  he  said, 
"  there  is  no  lack  of  obedience ;  I  do  not  complain  of 
that ;  but  things  have  changed  with  us  all,  and  par- 
ticularly between  you  and  me,  Carl.  You  all  now 
seem  so  strange  and  cold  and  shy,  and  sometimes  I 
think  you  fear  me  more  than  anything  else," 


GOOD  LUCK.  221 

"  No,  no,  Ulrich  !"  cried  Lorenz,  in  a  manner  so 
excited  as  to  lead  to  the  supposition  that  his  friend 
was  right.  "  We  confide  in  you  wholly,  entirely. 
What  you  have  done  has  been  done  for  us,  not  for 
yourself :  we  all  know  that  and  shall  not  forget  it." 

The  words  were  harmless  enough,  and  still  they 
seemed  to  have  a  hidden  meaning.  Ulrich  appeared 
to  feel  this,  for  with  a  penetrating  gaze  he  fixed  his 
eyes  upon  the  speaker.  Lorenz  recoiled  from  the 
glance  and  looked  at  the  floor. 

"  I  must  go,"  he  said  hastily.  "  I  will  send  Wilms 
over  to  you.  Will  you  still  remain  here  so  that  he 
can  find  you  ?" 

Ulrich  made  no  answer.  The  glowing  excitement 
of  the  last  few  moments  had  all  at  once  yielded 
again  to  the  deep  pallor  his  face  had  worn  on  his 
entrance.  He  only  nodded  his  head  in  assent  and 
turned  to  the  window. 

Lorenz  bade  the  overseer  good-night  and  left  the 
room.  Martha  rose  and  went  out  with  him.  The 
girl  had  not  spoken  a  word  during  the  entire  inter- 
view, but  had  gazed  steadfastly  on  both  men.  She 
remained  quite  #.  long  time  outside,  but  this  did  not 
occur  to  those  left  behind.  They  knew  that  a  pros- 
pective bridal  pair  must  have  much  to  whisper  to 
each  other,  and  seemed  to  concern  themselves  very 
little  about  it. 

The  father  and  son  were  alone,  but  the  silence 
between  them  was  even  more  oppressive  than  be- 
fore at  Ulrich's  entrance.  Ulrich  yet  stood  at  the 
window,  his  forehead  pressed  against  the  pane,  and 


222  GOOD  LUCK. 

stared  out  without  seeing  anything.  The  overseer 
had  not  left  his  place :  he  still  sat  at  the  table,  his 
head  resting  on  his  hand ;  but  the  old  man's  face 
had  strangely  altered  in  these  last  weeks.  It  had 
become  care-worn  and  sorrowful :  the  furrows  graven 
by  age  had  deepened  and  the  eyes  looked  weary  and 
troubled,  as  if  all  that  early  energy  and  combative- 
ness  which  had  led  him  to  give  so  many  severe  lec- 
tures to  his  son  had  gone  forever. 

The  silence  at  last  became  intolerable  for  Ulrich, 
and  he  turned  around  with  an  impatient  gesture. 

"  And  have  you  nothing  at  all  to  say,  father,  to 
the  news  Wilms  brings  us?  Isjt,  then,  all  the  same 
to  you  whether  we  conquer  or  are  conquered  ?" 

The  overseer  slowly  raised  his  head. 

"  It  certainly  is  not  all  the  same  to  me,"  he  re- 
plied, "  but  I  cannot  be  delighted  at  having  you 
break  out  into  threats  and  violence.  I  will  wait  and 
see  who  this  harms  most — the  gentlemen  or  us. 
You  need  ask  nothing  more  from  the  miners,  for 
you  have  got  your  will.  Well,  go  ahead  !  You  are 
now  master  and  lawgiver  of  the  whole  works.  All 
come  to  }TOU,  all  bow  before  you,  all  obey  you  at 
your  word.  This  was  just  what  you  wanted  from 
the  first,  just  why  all  this  was  planned— 

"  Father  /"  interrupted  Ulrich,  starting  up. 

"  Ah,  well !  let  that  matter  rest,"  said  the  old  man 
evasively.  "You  will  not  confess  it  to  me  or  to 
yourself,  but  it  is  so !  They  have  all  gone  with 
you,  and  I  also,  for  I  could  not  remain  back  alone. 
See  what  you  are  leading  us  to !  You  must  take  the 
responsibility." 


GOOD  LUCK.  223 

"  Did  1  begin  the  rebellion  alone  ?"  asked  Ulrich 
passionately.  "  Was  it  not  a  unanimous  conclusion 
that  things  must  change,  and  did  we  not  agree  to 
stand  together  until  the  change  was  effected  ?" 

"  Then  no  concessions  had  been  made ;  now  all 
your  reasonable  demands  have  been  granted.  The 
things  for  which  you  would  fight  are  not  the  de- 
mands of  the  workmen — they  are  your  own  ;  and  it 
is  you  alone  who  hold  fast  to  them.  If  it  had  not 
been  for  you  the  men  would  all  be  at  work  again 
and  we  should  have  peace  and  prosperity  upon  the 
works." 

The  young  steiger*  scornfully  threw  back  his 
head. 

"  Ah,  well !"  he  said.  "  I  own  that  all  this  is  my 
doing,  and  I  think  it  no  disgrace  to  me  that  I  know 
more  and  see  further  than  the  others.  If  they  are 
content  to  have  the  old  misery  made  a  little  more 
tolerable,  the  little  span  of  life  in  the  mines  more 
secure,  I  am  not  content,  and  the  courageous  spirits 
among  us  are  not  so.  We  demand  much,  almost 
everything,  that  is  true  ;  and  if  Berkow  were  still 
the  millionaire  the  world  considers  him,  he  might 
guard  against  thus  falling  into  our  hands.  But  he 
is  a  millionaire  no  longer ;  and  upon  us,  upon 
whether  our  hands  work  or  refuse  to  work  for  him, 
depends  his  whole  weal  or  woe.  You  do  not  know, 
father,  how  things  look  up  in  the  bureau  and  the 
conference  chamber  :  but  I  know  ;  and  I  tell  you 

*  Master-miner. 


224  GOOD  LUCK. 

that,  let  him  resist  as  he  Will,  he  must  yield  as  soon 
as  the  rebellion  breaks  loose  upon  him  from  all 
sides." 

"  And  I  tell  you  he  will  not  yield,"  declared  the 
overseer.  "He  will  sooner  close  the  works.  I 
know  Arthur.  When  he  was  a  little  boy  he  was 
just  as  he  now  is — entirely  different  from  you. 
You  always  set  about  things  violently — you  would 
conquer  all  by  force,  whether  it  was  a  piece  of 
work,  a  garden  fence,  or  a  comrade.  He  did  not 
willingly  set  about  anything,  and  it  was  only  after 
long  hesitation  that  he  could  persuade  himself  to 
this ;  but  let  him  once  begin  a  work,  and  he  would 
never  let  it  go  until  finished./  Now  he  is  fairly 
awake,  and  he  will  show  you  all  of  what  stuff  he  is 
made.  Now  that  he  has  the  reins  in  his  hands,  no 
one  can  force  them  from  him.  He  has  something 
of  your  own  obstinacy.  If  you  are  ever  made  to 
feel  it,  remember  my  words." 

Ulrich  did  not  contradict  with  his  wonted 
violence,  but  his  dark,  lowering  glance  told  how 
enraged  he  was  that  he  could  not  contradict.  Per- 
haps he  had  already  experienced  this  obstinacy. 

"  And  however  things  turn  out,"  continued  the 
father,  "  do  you  think  that  you  will  remain  steiger 
— that  you  will  be  allowed  upon  the  works  after 
all  that  has  happened  ?" 

The  young  man  laughed  derisively. 

"  No,  in  truth  not,  if  it  depended  upon  Berkow 
and  the  officers.  They  surely  would  not  take  me 
again  into  favor.  But  we  ask  no  favors;  we 


GOOD  LUCK.  225 

dictate;  and  our  first  demand  of  all  is  for  me  to 
remain." 

"  And  are  you  so  sure  of  this  ?" 

"  Father,  do  not  insult  my  comrades  to  my  face  I 
They  will  never  desert  me." 

"  Not  even  if  the  first  demand  from  headquarters 
is  for  you  to  go  ?  And  if  Berkow  himself  makes 
it?" 

"  No,  never !  He  #an  never  accomplish  that. 
The  workmen  all  know  that  I  have  not  done  this 
for  myself.  Things  were  well  with  me.  I  had  no 
need  to  starve,  for  I  could  find  my  bread  anywhere. 
It  was  their  misery  I  would  relieve.  Do  not  speak 
of  their  deserting  me,  father.  They  give  me  trouble 
enough,  I  own  ;  but  if  things  come  to  the  worst  I 
will  still  fight  my  way  through :  no  one  will  leave 
me  in  the  hour  of  peril.  Wherever  they  go  I  shall 
lead  them,  and  I  know  that  they  will  stand  by  me, 
even  in  misery  and  death." 

"  Yes.  at  the  first  they  would  have  done  so,  but 
not  now."  The  old  man  had  risen,  and  as  now,  for 
the  first  time,  he  turned  his  face  to  the  light,  one 
saw  how  sorrowful  were  his  features,  how  bowed 
his  form,  but  a  little  while  ago  so  erect  and  vigor- 
ous. "  You  yourself  have  just  said  to  Lorenz  that 
things  have  changed,"  he  continued  in  a  hollow 
voice,  "  and  you  must  know  the  day  and  hour  when 
the  change  came.  I  need  not  tell  you  this,  Ulrich  : 
I  can  only  say  that  day  robbed  me  of  the  little  peace 
and  joy  I  had  still  hoped  for  my  old  age.  Now  all  is 
gone  forever  1" 


226  GOOD  LUCK 

"  Father  /"  cried  the  young  man. 

The  overseer  made  a  hasty,  repellent  gesture. 

"  Never  mind,"  he  said.  "  I  know  nothing  of  it ; 
I  will  know  nothing  of  it,  even  if  I  am  forced  to 
hear  it.  The  bare  thought  has  almost  robbed  me 
of  my  senses." 

Ulrich's  eyes  flashed — threatening  as  before  at 
Lorenz'  insinuation. 

"  And  if  I  now  tell  you,  father,  that  the  meshes 
of  the  rope  were  already  broken,  that  my  hand  had 
nothing  to  do  with  it " 

"No,  tell  me  nothing,"  returned  the  old  man 
bitterly.  "  I  cannot  believe  you,  neither  do  the 
men  believe  in  you  any  more.  You  have  always 
been  wild  and  violent ;  in  your  wrath  you  would 
birike  down  even  your  best  friend.  Go  among  your 
comrades  and  say  to  them,  'It  was  a  mere  accident,' 
not  one  of  them  will  believe  you." 

11  Not  one!"  repeated  Ulrich  sadly.  "And  not 
even  you,  father  ?" 

The  old  man  fixed  his  troubled  eyes  upon  his 
son. 

"  Can  you  here  declare  to  my  face  that  you  had 
no  blame  in  the  accident — none  at  all  ?  That 
you " 

He  did  not  end  the  question,  for  Ulrich  could  not 
endure  his  glance.  His  still  flashing  eyes  were 
fixed  upon  the  floor:  he  turned  away  with  a  tremu- 
lous gesture  and  was  silent. 

There  was  a  long,  oppressive  silence  in  the  room, 
broken  only  by  the  old  man's  heavy  breathing. 


GOOD  LUCK.  227 

His  hand  trembled  as  he  passed  it  over  his  fore- 
head, and  his  voice  trembled  still  more  as  he  at  last 
said : 

"  You  say  you  had  no  hand  in  the  accident  ?  You 
might  not  have  had  directly,  but  all  suspect  you. 
Nothing  can  be  investigated,  nothing  proved — God 
be  thanked  !  nothing  at  least  by  the  law.  Confide 
in  me  alone,  Ulrich  ;  tell  me  what  really  did  happen, 
down  there ;  but  boast  no  more  of  your  comrades. 
You  must  have  seen  that  since  that  day  they  all 
fear  you.  See  how  long  you  will  be  able  to  rule 
them  by  this  fear  alone." 

The  old  man  left  the  room ;  the  son  made  a 
movement  as  if  he  would  rush  after  him ;  then  all 
at  once  he  stood  still,  and  with  his  clinched  hand 
beat  his  forehead,  while  from  his  throat  there  came 
a  sound  almost  like  a  repressed  groan. 

Ten  minutes  might  have  passed,  when  the  door 
again  opened  and  Martha  entered.  Her  uncle  had 
not  returned  and  Ulrich  lay  upon  the  lounge,  his 
face  buried  in  his  hands.  But  this  did  not  seem  in 
the  least  to  surprise  the  girl.  She  merely  glanced 
at  him,  and  then,  stepping  to  the  table,  began  to 
gather  up  her  work. 

At  the  sound  of  her  step  Ulrich  started  up.  He 
now  rose  slowly  and  came  over  to  her.  Usually  he 
took  no  interest  in  Martha's  affairs — not  enough  at 
least  to  converse  with  her  about  them.  To-day  it 
was  otherwise.  Perhaps  for  this  stubborn,  reticent 
nature  the  moment  had  come  when  he  longed  for 
some  word,  some  token  of  sympathy.  Doubly 


GOOD  LUCK. 

dear  must  have  been  such  word  or  token  just  now, 
when  all  shunned  him,  all  drew  back  from  him. 

"  So  you  and  Lorenz  are  really  lovers  ?"  he  began. 
"  I  have  not  once  spoken  with  you  on  the  subject, 
Martha  :  I  have  latterly  had  so  many  other  things 
in  my  head.  Are  you  betrothed  ?" 

"  Yes,"  was  the  short,  half-evasive  answer. 

"  And  when  will  the  marriage  be  ?" 

"  There  is  plenty  of  time  before  that." 

Ulrich  gazed  down  at  the  girl,  who,  with  hasty 
breathing  and  trembling  fingers,  busied  herself  about 
the  work,  not  even  looking  up  to  him,  but  yet  he 
dreamed  that  a  silent  reproach  lay  in  her  eyes. 

"  You  have  done  right,  Martha,"  said  he  gently, 
"  quite  right.  Carl  is  good  and  kind  and  loves  you 
more  than — any  other  would  have  been  able^to  do. 
And  still  you  hesitated  in  your  decision.  When  did 
you  give  him  your  promise  ?" 

"  Three  weeks  ago  to-day." 

"  Three  weeks  ago  to-day  !  Is  that  so  ?  That 
was  the  day  of  the  accident  in  the  mines.  Was  it 
really  at  that  time  ?" 

"  Yes,  just  then  !  Until  then  I  could  not.  On 
that  day  I  first  knew  that  I  could  be  his  wife." 

"Martha!" 

From  the  young  man's  voice  came  forth  a  cry, 
half-anger,  half-pain.  He  sought  to  lay  his  hand 
upon  her  arm.  She  trembled  violently  and  invol- 
untarily turned  away.  Ulrich  let  his  hand  fall  and 
stepped  backward. 

"And  you  too?"  he  said  in  a  hollow  voice.  "In- 
deed, indeed,  Martha,  I  should  not  have  thought  it  1" 


GOOD  LUCK.  229 

"  Ulrich  !"  broke  forth  the  girl  in  wild,  despairing 
agony.  "  Oh,  my  God  !  what  have  you  done  to  us  2 
what  have  you  done  to  yourself  ?" 

He  stood  opposite  her.  The  hand  which  he  rest- 
ed upon  the  table  trembled,  but  his  features  had 
taken  on  an  expression  of  fearful  hardness  and  bit- 
terness. 

"  "What  have  I  done  to  myself  ?  For  that  I  alone 
am  answerable.  To  you  ?  Well,  no  one  will  listen 
to  the  story  from  me.  But  I  tell  you  once  for  all  " 
— here  bis  voice  rose  loud  and  threatening — "  that  I 
have  had  enough  of  these  endless  innuendoes  and 
vexations.  I  can  endure  them  no  longer.  Believe 
what  you  please  and  of  whom  you  please.  In  the 
future  it  will  all  be  the  same  to  me.  What  I  have 
begun  I  will  carry  through  in  spite  of  you  all ;  and 
if  no  one  will  place  confidence  in  me  I  shall  well 
know  how  to  enforce  obedience." 

He  went.  Martha  made  no  effort  to  detain  him, 
and  such  effort  would  have  been  in  vain.  He 
slammed  the  door  behind  him  so  violently  that  it 
jarred  the  whole  house.  A  moment  after  he  was 
out  in  the  open  air. 


230  GOOD  LUCK 


CHAPTEK  XIII. 

THE  arrival  of  guests  at  the  Berkow  country-seat 
had  certainly  brought  some  life,  but  it  had  intro- 
duced no  greater  union  into  the  cold,  alienated 
household  of  this  young  married  pair.  Although  the 
visit  was  designed  to  be  only  of  a  few  days'  dura- 
tion, Arthur  found  plenty  of  excuses  for  absence 
and  opportunities  for  avoiding  any  frequent  meet- 
ings, a  piece  of  civility  for  which  his  father  and 
young  brother-in-law  were  extremely  grateful. 

Baron  Windeg,  after  a  two  weeks'  stay  upon  the 
Rabenau  estates,  now  his  own,  was  returning  to  the 
Residence.  Upon  his  first  visit  to  his  daughter  he 
had  been  obliged  to  leave  the  next  morning.  Even 
the  fearful  catastrophe  which  had  happened  during 
his  stay  could  not  detain  him,  for  a  nearer  duty  of 
relationship  summoned  him  to  pay  the  last  honors 
to  his  cousin.  After  this  duty  had  been  faithfully 
discharged  he  had  found  in  the  household  and  upon 
the  estates  much  demanding  the  presence  of  the 
new  heir.  Now  in  the  company  of  his  eldest  son, 
whom  he  had  allowed  to  follow  him,  he  had  set  out 
for  home,  and  as  Curt  had  not  seen  his  sister  since 
her  marriage,  they  naturally  took  the  short  by-road 
leading  over  the  Berkow  estates. 


GOOD  LUCK.  231 

From  the  conversation  which  upon  the  day  of 
their  arrival  took  place  in  Eugenie's  parlor,  and 
from  which,  as  usual,  Arthur  was  absent,  this  seemed 
to  be  something  more  than  a  mere  visit  or  reunion. 
Eugenie  and  her  father  had  for  a  long  time  been 
sitting  together  on  the  sofa;  now  the  baron  had 
risen  and  stood  before  his  daughter,  while  Curt, 
leaning  against  a  chair,  with  a  look  of  intent  ex- 
pectation, gazed  over  to  his  sister. 

Eugenie  had  rested  her  forehead  in  her  hand  so 
that  the  hand  shaded  her  face.  She  did  not  change 
her  position,  she  did  not  even  look  up,  as  she  an- 
swered in  a  low  voice  : 

"  I  do  not  need  these  hints  and  insinuations,  father, 
to  enable  me  to  know  your  meaning.  You  speak 
of  a — separation." 

"  Yes,  my  child,"  said  the  baron  gravely  ;  "  of  a 
separation,  no  matter  under  what  pretext  or  at  what 
price.  Those  forced  to  a  thing  are  wont  to  hold  to 
it  only  through  compulsion  :  this  the  Berkows  them- 
selves must  admit.  Now  that  I  am  master  of  my 
affairs,  now  that  I  need  no  longer  be  their  debtor,  I 
will  venture  all  to  release  you  from  those  fetters 
which  you  assumed  only  for  my  sake,  and  which, 
whether  you  admit  it  or  not,  make  you  infinitely 
unhappy." 

Eugenie  did  not  answer.  The  father  took  her 
hand  and  again  sat  down  by  her  side. 

"  Is  the  thought  new  and  surprising  to  you  ?  It 
occurred  to  me  at  the  moment  when  I  received  the 
unexpected  tidings  of  the  change  in  our  fortunes. 


232  GOOD  LUCK. 

What  did  old  Berkow  not  resort  to  in  order  to  ob- 
tain this  union  with  us  ?  The  possibility  is  not  im- 
aginable that  he  would  have  allowed  a  divorce  which 
must  exclude  him  from  that  circle  where  he  had 
forced  entrance  through  us,  and  the  contest  could 
not  have  been  undertaken  with  a  man  who  in  his 
unscrupulousness  was  capable  of  anything.  His 
sudden  death  has  changed  all,  but  the  opposition  of 
his  son  remains  to  be  overcome.  Arthur  in  the 
whole  affair  played  only  a  passive  role  and  resigned 
himself  to  be  the  tool  of  his  father.  I  hope  he  will 
yield  to  energetic  proceedings  on  our  side." 

"  He  will  yield,"  replied  the  young  wife  in  a  low 
voice.  "  You  need  have  no  anxiety  on  that  account." 

"  So  much  the  better  !"  returned  the  baron.  "  So 
much  the  sooner  we  shall  reach  our  goal." 

He  seemed,  indeed,  in  great  haste  to  reach  this 
goal.  To  the  poor,  almost  bankrupt  nobleman  who 
saw  ruin  just  before  him,  no  choice  had  remained 
but  to  accept  Eugenie's  sacrifice  and  thereby  redeem 
the  name  and  station  of  his  son.  Humiliating  as 
this  had  been  to  him,  be  had  bowed  to  necessity,  and 
necessity  had  taught  him  to  bear  it.  But  the  heir 
of  Rabenau,  who  had  won  back  his  full  independ- 
ence and  his  full  self-importance,  who  could  with 
ease  restore  the  sum  he  had  received,  felt  this  com- 
pulsion a  burning  disgrace  and  his  daughter's  mar- 
riage a  heavy  wrong  against  her,  for  which  he  must 
at  any  price  atone.  During  his  entire  sojourn  upon 
the  new  estates  this  thought  had  been  uppermost  in 
his  mind,  and  he  had  laid  his  plans,  which  were  now 
ready  for  execution. 


GOOD  LUCK,  233 

"It  must  be  your  wish,  Eugenie,  as  well  as  ours, 
that  this  painful  transaction  be  conducted  to  an  end 
as  speedily  as  possible.  I  think  you  had  better  now 
accompany  us  to  the  Residence  and  from  there  take 
the  necessary  steps.  You  can  then  simply  decline 
returning  to  your  husband  and  await  the  decree  of 
divorce.  We  will  take  care  that  he  does  not  vio- 
lently assert  his  rights." 

"  Yes,  by  Heaven,  we  will  do  that',  Eugenie !"  in- 
terposed Curt  passionately.  "  If  he  should  still 
refuse  to  undo  this  shameful  business  your  brother's 
sword  will  compel  him  to  it.  He  cannot  now 
threaten  us  with  disgrace  and  public  humiliation  as 
his  father  did.  It  was  the  only  thing  before  which 
the  Windegs  have  ever  trembled — the  only  means 
by  which  they  could  force  a  daughter  of  our  house 
to  an  alliance  with  them." 

"  Recall  your  threats,  Curt,"  said  Eugenie  ;  "and 
you,  father,  banish  your  anxieties.  Both  are  here 
unnecessary.  This  divorce,  which  you  think  must 
be  a  matter  for  strife  and  compulsion,  has  long  been, 
a  settled  thing  between  Arthur  and  me." 

Windeg  started  up,  and  in  violent  surprise  Curt 
drew  nearer  his  sister.  Eugenie  evidently  struggled 
to  give  firmness  to  her  voice,  but  she  could  not 
succeed ;  the  voice  trembled  audibly  as  she  con- 
tinued : 

"  We  had  agreed  upon  this,  even  before  Berkow's 
death,  but  we  wished  to  shun  the  publicity  of  so 
early  and  sudden  a  rupture,  and  therefore  decided 
to  preserve  the  outward  restraints  of  a  married 
life." 


234  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Even  before  Berkow's  death  !"  repeated  Curt ; 
"  that  was  shortly  after  your  marriage." 

"  And  you  yourself  had  spoken  of  the  matter  ? 
You  were  decided  upon  it  ?"  asked  the  baron,  in 
equal  surprise. 

Neither  of  the  two  men  could  understand  the 
pain  so  plainly  depicted  on  the  young  wife's  face. 
She  evidently  summoned  all  her  self-control  for  the 
answer,  and  it  was  firmly  given : 

"I  have  never  alluded  to  the  subject.  It  was 
Arthur  who,  of  his  own  free  will,  offered  me  the 
separation." 

The  baron  and  his  son  looked  at  each  other,  as  if 
this  statement  passed  their  powers  of  comprehen- 
sion. 

"  I  certainly  was  not  prepared  for  this,"  said  the 
baron  at  last  slowly.  "  He  himself?  I  had  not  ex- 
pected that." 

"  It  is  all  the  same,"  cried  Curt,  in  a  sudden  ac- 
cess of  tenderness,  "if  he  only  gives  you  back  to 
us,  Eugenie.  None  of  us  has  been  able  to  enjoy 
the  new  inheritance,  because  we  knew  that  you 
were  unhappy  for  our  sake.  Now  if  you  come  back 
to  us  our  father,  we  all,  shall  begin  to  breathe 
freely  in  the  new  life.  You  have  everywhere  in  it 
all  been  wanting  to  us." 

He  flung  his  arm  around  his  sister,  and  for  a  few 
moments  she  buried  her  face  on  his  shoulder.  But 
this  beautiful  face  was  deathly  white  and  cold,  as 
Curt  had  once  before  seen  it  at  the  altar.  Why 
should  this  be  when  she  was  now  to  return  to  the 
father's  house  from  which  she  was  then  to  be  torn  3 


GOOD  LUCK.  235 

The  baron,  in  some  surprise,  gazed  upon  his 
daughter,  who  now  rose  erect  and  passed  her  hand- 
kerchief over  her  forehead. 

"  Forgive  me,  papa,  if  I  seem  strange  to  you  to- 
day," she  said.  "  I  am  not  quite  well — not  well 
enough,  at  least,  for  a  conversation  on  this  subject. 
You  must  permit  me  to  withdraw.  I " 

"  You  have  suffered  too  much  of  late,"  added  the 
father  tenderly.  "  I  see  it,  my  child,  even  if  you 
do  not  confess  it  to  me.  Go,  and  leave  to  me  all 
the  care.  I  will  spare  you  as  much  as  possible." 

"This  is  very  singular,  papa,"  said  the  young 
man  as  the  door  closed  behind  his  sister.  "  Do  you 
comprehend  this  Berkow  ?  I  do  not." 

Baron  Windeg,  with  contracted  brow,  paced  up 
and  down  the  room.  With  the  strangeness  of  this 
revelation  blended  something  very  mortifying  to  him. 
The  proud  aristocrat  had  found  it  quite  compre- 
hensible that  an  upstart  with  millions  at  his  com- 
mand should  shun  neither  intrigues  nor  sacrifices 
and  venture  all  to  force  a  relationship  with  him, 
even  though  such  relationship  brought  writh  it  only 
contemptuous  hatred  ;  but  he  had  never  forgiven 
his  plebeian  son-in-law  for  receiving  the  hand  of  a 
Baroness  Windeg  with  as  much  indifference  as  if 
this  had  been  only  a  common  marriage,  and  for 
having  afterward  shown  himself  as  unappreciative 
of  the  high  honor  as  his  father  had  been  apprecia- 
tive. And  now  he — this  Arthur  Berkow — sought  a 
release  from  the  union  before  they  had  even  so 
much  as  permitted  him.  This  was  quite  too  much 


336  GOOD  LUCK. 

for  the  pride  of  a  Windeg  who  had  been  ready  to 
contend  for  the  recovery  of  his  daughter,  but  who 
could  not  bear  to  receive  her  back  from  the  haughti- 
ness or  the  indifference  of  her  husband. 

"  I  will  speak  with  Berkow,"  he  said  at  length, 
"  and  if  he  really  is  of  our  mind,  which,  notwith- 
standing Eugenie's  assertion,  I  must  still  doubt,  the 
business  shall  be  entered  upon  immediately." 

"  Immediately  ?"  asked  Curt.  "  They  have  been 
scarce  three  months  married,  and  I  think  they  are 
right  in  seeking  to  avoid  too  early  and  abrupt  a 
separation." 

"  Certainly  they  are,"  replied  the  baron,  "  and  I 
should  agree  with  you  unconditionally  if  I  had  not 
very  urgent  reasons  for  hastening  the  matter. 
Upon  the  works  here  all  is  not  as  it  should  be.  I 
have  received  a  hint  from  a  friend  who  knows  that 
the  rebellion  now  broken  out  among  the  miners 
may  inflict  a  deadly  wound  upon  the  Berkow 
wealth,  which  is  believed  so  uncalculable.  If  Ber- 
kow's  fortune  really  collapses  his  wife  cannot  leave 
him  just  at  that  moment :  in  the  face  of  the  world 
she  cannot.  Although  we  have  deeper  and  more 
serious  reasons  for  the  separation,  the  world  would 
regard  the  loss  of  fortune  as  the  reason,  and  this 
must  not  be.  It  is  better  for  us  to  assume  the  re- 
sponsibility of  so  early  a  rupture  than  to  have  our 
hands  tied  when  the  dreaded  catastrophe  really 
comes.  A  divorce  is  not  a  transaction  which  can 
be  carried  through  in  a  few  weeks :  it  requires  a 
year  at  least ;  and  in  half  that  time  the  separation 


GOOD  LUCK.  237 

can  be  arranged  if  Berkow  throws  no  difficulties  in 
our  way.  Eugenie  must  return  to  our  house,  must 
be  free,  before  they  suspect  in  the  Residence  how 
matters  stand  here." 

"  I  thought  my  sister  would  enter  into  our  plan 
with  far  more  pleasure  and  animation,"  said  Curt 
thoughtfully.  "  If  they  had  previously  decided 
upon  this  step,  the  idea  of  course  was  not  new  to 
her  ;  but  yet  she  is  cold  and  silent,  as  if  all  this  lay 
infinitely  remote  from  her,  as  if  it  dealt  not  at  all 
with  her  own  freedom." 

The  baron  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  She  suffers  at  the  thought  of  the  unavoidable 
publicity,  she  shrinks  from  the  formalities  and  dis- 
agreeableness  of  the  trial,  which  cannot  be  spared 
her.  Such  a  separation  is  always  a  painful  step  for 
a  woman,  but  still  it  must  be  taken.  In  this  case, 
at  least,  we  shall  have  the  whole  Residence  on  our 
side.  The  reason  of  this  marriage  could  have  been 
no  secret,  and  all  will  readily  comprehend  why  we 
seek  to  dissolve  it." 

"  There  comes  Berkow,"  said  Curt  half-aloud  as 
the  door  of  the  adjoining  room  opened.  "  You  will 
speak  with  him,  will  you  not,  papa  ?  Shall  I  leave 
you  alone  ?" 

Windeg  shook  his  head. 

"  You  are  the  eldest  son  of  our  house,  and  in  such 
an  interview  the  presence  of  a  third  person  is  apt 
to  impose  a  salutary  restraint.  You  will  remain, 
Curt." 

While   these  words  were  softly  and   hastily  ex- 


238  GOOD  LUCK. 

changed,  Arthur  had  passed  through  the  anteroom 
and  now  entered.  The  greeting  on  both  sides  was 
icy  and  polite  as  usual,  and  the  conversation  began 
with  the  wonted  commonplaces.  The  guests  re- 
gretted that  they  could  so  seldom  enjoy  the  society 
of  their  host,  and  the  host  pleaded  a  pressure  of 
business  which  robbed  him  of  the  pleasure,  etc.— 
mutual  civilities  which  neither  side  was  expected  to 
believe  and  behind  which  they  intrenched  them- 
selves so  as,  at  least,  to  have  something  to  say. 

"  I  hope  that  Eugenie's  constant  presence  richly 
compensates  you  for  my  enforced  absence,"  con- 
tinued Arthur,  glancing  through  the  salon  as  if  in 
quest  of  his  young  wife. 

"  Eugenie  has  withdrawn  on  account  of  a  slight 
indisposition,"  explained  the  baron,  "  and  I  would 
employ  the  opportunity  of  her  absence  to  express  a 
wish  whose  fulfillment  depends  principally  upon 
yourself." 

"  You  have  only  to  state  your  wish,  Herr  Baron, 
if  the  granting  of  it  depends  upon  me,"  returned 
Arthur,  placing  himself  opposite  his  father-in-law  ; 
while  Curt,  who  well  knew  what  was  coming,  with- 
drew to  a  window-niche  and  seemed  to  be  atten- 
tively gazing  out  upon  the  terrace.  Baron  Win- 
deg's  manner  assumed  its  utmost  formality  and  all 
that  aristocratic  dignity  which  lay  at  his  command. 
By  this  manner  he  sought  to  impress  the  plebeian 
husband  of  his  daughter  and  at  the  outset  silence 
every  possible  opposition  ;  for  at  the  most  he  could 
but  regard  that  separation  proposed  on  Arthur's 


GOOD  LUCK.  239 

side  as  a  mere  ebullition  after  some  passionate 
scene.  He  did  not  believe  that  Arthur  seriously 
had  an}'  such  idea. 

"  They  must,  I  think,  place  a  greater  significance 
upon  the  rebellion  at  your  works  than  it  really  de- 
serves," began  he.  "  Yesterday  as  I  stopped  at  the 
town  to  call  on  the  commandant  of  the  garrison 
there,  a  friend  of  my  youth,  I  was  told  that  the  out- 
break of  your  workmen  into  open  insurrection  was 
very  probable." 

"  People  in  the  town  seem  to  be  more  occupied 
with  my  works  and  my  workmen  than  I  had  sup- 
posed," replied  Arthur  coldly.  "  In  any  event, 
I  have  not  called  on  the  colonel  for  eventual  help." 

The  baron  understood  the  rebuff. 

"For  myself,  I  naturally  have  no  opinion  in  the 
matter,"  he  replied  calmly.  "  I  would  only  remind 
you  that  it  will  not  be  proper  to  expose  Eugenie  to 
possible  scenes  and  outbreaks.  I  very  much  desire 
to  take  my  daughter  home  with  me  fora  time  until 
matters  here  become  settled." 

The  young  man's  face  betrayed  some  slight 
emotion.  He  threw  a  hasty  glance  over  to  the 
door  leading  to  his  wife's  chamber,  as  if  he  would 
ascertain  if  the  wish  had  originated  there.  But  his 
answer  was  perfectly  calm. 

"Eugenie  is  entire  mistress  of  her  own  actions 
If  she  thinks  the  removal  necessary,  I  give  her  per 
feet  freedom." 

Baron  Windeg  gave  a  nod  of  satisfaction. 

"  Then  she  will  accompany  us  to-morrow,"  he  said. 


240  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  As  to  the  duration  of  her  visit  there,  we  come  to 
a  point  painful  for  us  both  to  discuss ;  but  I  prefer 
to  treat  with  you  by  word  of  mouth,  especially  so 
as  I  know  that  in  the  main  our  wishes  coincide." 

Arthur  seemed  about  to  start  up  from  his  chair, 
but  he  controlled  himself  and  kept  his  place. 

"  Very  well.  I  suppose  that  Eugenie  has  already 
communicated  with  you." 

"  Yes.  Are  you  surprised  at  that  ?  She  certainly 
would  first  of  all  confide  in  her  father." 

The  young  man's  lips  quivered. 

"  I  supposed,"  said  he,  "  that  the  matter  would 
remain  a  secret  between  us  until  the  time  for  action 
came.  I  have  erred,  as  I  see." 

"  "Why  defer  the  carrying  out  of  a  conclusion 
once  fixed  upon  ?"  asked  the  baron  calmly.  "  The 
time  is  just  now  favorable.  The  present  condition 
of  your  estates  gives  us  the  best  and  plainest  excuse 
for  my  daughter's  removal.  The  world  need  not 
at  first  know  that  this  removal  is  to  be  a  permanent 
one.  Now  in  summer,  when  all  our/friends  have 
left  the  Residence,  the  preparatory  steps  can  be 
taken  unremarked.  Where  publicity  cannot  be 
avoided,  it  is  always  best  to  perform  a  deed  in  the 
face  of  the  world.  In  this  way  the  propensity  for 
gossip  is  soonest  stayed." 

A  short  pause  ensued.  Arthur  again  fixed  his 
glance,  this  time  with  an  inquiring  expression,  upon 
the  door  leading  to  Eugenie's  chamber.  Then  he 
turned  deliberately  to  her  father  and  asked  : 

"  Does  the  wish  for  this  haste  come  from  Eugenie 
herself?" 


GOOD  LUCK.  £41 

The  baron  thought  proper  at  this  moment  to  con- 
ceal the  truth  :  this  would  end  matters  sooner,  and 
in  any  event  Eugenie  would  thank  him  for  it. 

"  I  speak  in  my  daughter's  name,"  declared  he 
formally. 

Arthur  started  up  suddenly,  and  so  violently  that 
the  chair  fell  back." 

"  I  consent  to  all,  Herr  Baron,"  he  said,  "  to  all. 
1  thought  I  had  stated  to  your  daughter  my  reasons 
for  delay  :  they  were  for  the  most  part  dictated  by 
regard  for  her.  I  did  not  think  of  myself.  If, 
regardless  of  these,  she  still  wishes  matters  acceler- 
ated— let  it  be." 

His  manner  of  speaking  was  so  peculiar  that 
Curt,  who,  although  he  had  -not  lost  a  syllable  of 
the  conversation,  still  seemed  to  be  gazing  out  on 
the  terrace,  all  at  once  turned  around  and  looked  in 
surprise  at  his  brother-in-law.  Baron  Windeg  also 
seemed  startled,  but  there  was  really  no  ground  for 
excitement  here,  where  both  sides  were  simply 
hastening  forward  a  disagreeable  necessity. 

"  You  also  unconditionally  agree  to  the  separa- 
tion?" he  asked  somewhat  hesitatingly. 

"  Certainly." 

The  baron  breathed  more  freely.  Eugenie,  then, 
had  been  right  when  she  predicted  the  immediate 
consent  of  her  husband.  The  business  now  remain- 
ing, in  the  baron's  opinion,  offered  scarce  any  diffi- 
cult}7. 

"  I  am  very  grateful  to  you  for  your  obliging- 
ness," he  said  courteously  ;  "  it  will  do  much  to 


242  GOOD  LUCK. 

facilitate  a  step  so  painful  for  both  sides.  One 
thing  still  remains,  which,  though  it  has  no  connec- 
tion with  this  matter,  must  yet  be  arranged.  Your 
father" — a  deep  flush  overspread  the  forehead  of 
the  now  wealthy  baron  at  this  remembrance — "  your 
father  had  the  goodness  to  assume  certain  obliga- 
tions for  me  which  at  that  time  I  could  not  fulfill. 
I  am  now  in  a  position  to  do  this,  and  I  would  like 
to  hasten " 

He  paused,  for  Arthur  raised  his  eyes  and  fixed 
them  on  his  face  in  a  glance  so  open  and  so  reproach- 
ful that  he  could  not  go  on. 

"  Had  we  not  better  let  this  matter  rest  ?"  he 
asked.  "  For  my  part,  I  implore  it." 

"It  might  rest  so  long  as  our  mutual  relations  re- 
mained as  now,"  replied  Windeg  gravely ;  "  not 
when  they  are  dissolved.  You  will  not  oblige  me 
to  remain  your  debtor." 

"  This  cannot  be  called  a  debt  in  the  usual  sense. 
My  father,  at  the  last,  only  enforced  his  own  de- 
mands, and  the  documents  were  destroyed  as  soon 
as" — here  the  terrible  excitement  of  £he  young  man 
broke  through  his  enforced  repose — "  as  soon  as  the 
price  for  them  was  paid  !" 

The  baron  seemed  deeply  wounded. 

"At  that  time  the  agreement  was  closed  at  Herr 
Berkow's  express  wish,"  replied  he  coldly ;  "  now 
it  is  to  be  dissolved  mostly  at  our  wish.  Circum- 
stances are  now  changed." 

"  It  it  absolutely  necessary  that  in  this  divorce 
business  \ve  hold  fast  to  the  conditions  of  a  bill  of 


GOOD  LUCK.  343 

sale?"  Arthur  interrupted  with  cutting  irony.  "I 
hope  that  for  a  second  time  my  wife  and  I  shall  not 
be  made  the  objects  of  a  business  transaction.  Once 
was  enough." 

The  baron  misunderstood  the  words,  fully  as  he 
misunderstood  the  impulse  which  dictated  them. 
He  again  put  on  his  aristocratic  air  and  with  great 
dignity  said : 

"  Be  pleased  to  remember,  Herr  Berkow,  that  the 
term  '  business,'  which  you  are  pleased  to  use,  has 
relation  to  only  one  of  the  two  parties :  it  does  not 
apply  to  us." 

Arthur  stepped  back,  but  his  bearing  was  proud 
and  unapproachable  as  any  the  titled  gentleman 
opposite  him  had  ever  known  how  to  assume. 

"I  now  know,"  he  said,  "how  this  marriage  was 
brought  about,  and  I  also  know  how  those  obliga- 
tions arose  which  forced  you  to  consent.  This  being 
the  case,  you  can  well  appreciate  my  demand  that 
the  debt  shall  not  be  alluded  to,  not  even  by  another 
syllable.  I  demand  from  you,  Herr  Baron,  that 
you  do  not  force  a  son  to  blush  at  the  remembrance 
of  his  father." 

Baron  "Windeg  had  once  before  been  unable  to 
comprehend  his  son-in  law  when  he  declined  the 
title  of  nobility.  But  this  had  been  done  in  that 
cool,  negligent  way  characteristic  of  the  former 
Arthur  Berkow.  This  present  appearance  and 
bearing  quite  petrified  the  baron.  He  glanced  in- 
voluntarily over  to  his  son,  who  had  stepped  out  of 
the  window-niche  and  whose  youthful  face  expressed 
an  astonishment  he  took  no  pains  to  conceal. 


244  GOOD  LUCK 

"  I  did  not  know  that  you  looked  upon  the  trans- 
action in  this  light,"  said  Windeg  after  a  pause. 
"I  had  no  intention  of  wounding  you,  but — 

"  I  assume  that.  And  now  grant  me  the  favor 
of  forgetfulness  in  regard  to  it  all.  As  to  this 
divorce  business,  I  will  instruct  my  lawyer  to  meet 
every  step  of  yours.  If  anything  is  required  of  me 
personally,  I  beg  you  to  command  me.  I  will  do 
everything  in  my  power  toward  gaining  the  desired 
end  speedily  and  considerately." 

He  bowed  to  both  gentlemen  and  left  the  room. 
The  next  moment  Curt  was  at  his  father's  side. 

"  What  does  all  this  mean,  papa  ?"  he  asked. 
"  What,  for  Heaven's  sake,  has  come  over  this 
Arthur  within  the  last  three  months  ?  Yesterday  I 
found  him  far  more  decided,  far  more  serious  than 
usual ;  but  this  demeanor — I  would  never  have  be- 
lieved it  possible  from  him." 

The  baron  had  not  yet  recovered  from  his  aston- 
ishment, but  the  exclamation  of  his  son  brought 
back  his  bewildered  senses. 

"  Arthur  really  seems  not  to  have  been  aware  of 
the  role  his  father  played  with  us,"  said  he.  "  That 
certainly  changes  matters.  If  he  bnly  would  not 
harbor  the  supposition  that  I  am  to  remain  his 
debtor !" 

"  He  does  quite  right,"  cried  Curt  excitedly,  "  if 
he  knows  of  the  usury  by  which  old  Berkow  goaded 
us  to  ruin.  He  did  not  advance  us  a  quarter  of  the 
sum  which  afterward  seemed  of  such  giant  dimen- 
sions to  us,  and  the  son  could  not  take  back  a  penny 


0001)  LTTCK.  245 

of  it  without  dishonoring  himself.  We  saw  how 
deeply  mortified  he  was  as  you  recalled  the  humil- 
iating story.  But  the  conversation  took  a  strange 
turn.  Though  in  this  transaction  he  played  a 
more  disgraceful  role  than  we,  he  at  least  knew  how 
to  represent  matters  in  such  a  light  as  to  make  us 
ashamed  of  our  offer." 

Windeg  took  the  last  remark  rather  ungraciously, 
perhaps  because  he  could  not  contradict  it. 

"  If  we  did  young  Berkow  wrong,  I  am  now 
ready  to  render  him  full  justice,"  he  said  ;  "  and  all 
the  more  because  in  this  divorce  affair  we  really 
owe  him  thanks.  I  would  not  have  believed  he 
would  make  it  so  easy  for  us,  although  I  am  aware 
that  lie  seemed  indifferent  to  the  marriage  from  the 
first." 

Curt  resumed  that  thoughtful  air  so  unusual  to 
him. 

"The  divorce  does  not  appear  to  me  by  any 
means  so  settled,"  he  said.  "  Berkow  was  far  from 
being  so  calm  as  he  would  have  us  suppose,  and  so 
was  Eugenie.  The  violence  with  which  he  trembled 
when  you  declared  that  she  insisted  on  an  immedi- 
ate separation  showed  nothing  like  indifference,  and 
the  face  with  which  Eugenie  left  us  still  less.  From 
all  this  a  strange  idea  has  arisen  in  my  mind." 

The  baron  smiled,  and  with  an  air  of  great 
superiority  said : 

"  You  are  still  a  mere  child,  Curt,  in  spite  of  your 
years  and  your  epaulets.  Do  you  really  suppose 
that  the  conclusion  which  it  now  appears  they 

* 


246  G°OD  LUCK. 

reached  long  ago  came  without  preliminary  scenes 
and  contentions  ?  In  any  event,  Eugenie  has  suf- 
fered bitterly,  and  perhaps  Berkow.  What  you 
have  so  wisely  remarked  is  only  the  reverberation 
of  earlier  storms,  nothing  more.  God  be  thanked, 
we  have  now  fair  weather  on  both  sides  and  the 
storms  are  at  an  end." 

"  Kather,  they  are  just  beginning,"  replied  Curt 
half-aloud  as  with  his  father  he  left  the  salon. 


GOOD  LUCK.  24? 


CHAPTEK  XIV. 

EVENING  had  fallen,  but  throughout  the  Berkow 
mansion  reigned  a  restless  activity.  Baron  Win- 
deg  and  his  daughter  had  had  a  long  conversation 
that  afternoon  ;  and  immediately  after  the  maid  had 
received  orders  to  pack  her  mistress'  trunks.  Herr 
Berkow  had  also  announced  to  the  servants  that 
early  to-morrow  morning  his  wife  would  set  out 
with  her  father  for  a  visit  of  some  weeks  to  the 
Residence — a  piece  of  news  that  naturally  went  the 
rounds  of  the  officers'  houses,  and  in  them,  as  at  the 
Berkow  house,  caused  more  anxiety  than  surprise. 

It  was  clear  as  the  sunlight  that  the  chief  only 
sent  her  ladyship  away  because  he  was  convinced 
that  insurrection  would  soon  break  out  upon  the 
works.  He  would  have  her  safe  in  the  Residence, 
and  had,  no  doubt,  requested  her  father  to  come  and 
take  her  away. 

Windeg  was  right :  the  pretext  was  so  plausible 
that  it  occurred  to  no  one  to  doubt  it.  The  pecul- 
iarly cold  relations  between  this  married  pair  had 
at  first  been  much  spoken  of  and  commented  upon 
throughout  the  Berkow  colony,  but  now  all  such 
comment  had  ceased.  It  was  known  that  the  mar- 
riage had  not  been  one  of  affection,  but  as  nothing 


248  GOOD  LUCK. 

like  passionate  scenes  or  violent  quarrels  had  been 
seen  or  heard  by  the  servants,  as  the  young  husband 
was  always  politeness  itself  to  his  wife  and  she 
showed  the  utmost  calmness  and  amiability  in  her 
relations  to  him,  it  was  supposed  that  they  must 
have  become  accustomed  to  each  other  and  be  quita 
content  together — the  usual  sequel  of  such  merce- 
nary marriages.  Their  somewhat  novel  manner  of 
life  was  assumed  to  be  only  a  custom  of  the  fash- 
ionable world,  as  people  in  the  Residence  were  said 
to  live,  for  the  most  part,  on  this  distant,  coolly 
polite  footing.  That  the  Baroness  "Windeg  and  the 
son  of  the  millionaire  Berkow  followed  this  custom 
had  ceased  to  be  a  matter  for  surprise  or  remark. 

No  one  dreamed  that  the  departure  of  her  lady- 
ship, which  had  been  preceded  by  no  sort  of  quar- 
rel, involved  a  separation,  and  it  surprised  no  one 
that  the  master  and  mistress  did  not  pass  the  even- 
ing together  and  that  Baron  Windeg  and  his  son 
supped  alone  in  the  dining-room.  It  did  not  seem 
strange  to  the  lady's  maid  that  her  mistress,  not 
being  well,  had  tea  sent  to  her  boudoir;  and  it  was 
a  matter  of  no  comment  to  the  servants  that  Herr 
Berkow  did  not  sup  at  all,  but,  on  account  of  urgent 
business,  retired  to  his  cabinet,  having  first  given 
orders  on  no  account  to  be  disturbed. 

Without,  utter  darkness  reigned,  and  within,  the 
lamp  burning  on  the  writing-table  of  Arthur's  cabi- 
net threw  its  light  upon  the  man  who  for  more 
than  an  hour  had  paced  restlessly  up  and  down — 
who  now,  behind  closed  doors,  threw  off  that  so 


GOOD  LUGS:.  249 

long-enforced  indifference  and  gave  freo  course  to 
the  storm  that  raged  within  him. 

This  was  indeed  no  longer  the  blase  young  heir 
with  his  apathetic  indifference ;  neither  was  it  the 
young  chief  who,  with  an  energy  and  determination 
so  suddenly  awakened,  knew  how  to  impress  his 
workmen  and  impart  new  courage  to  his  officers. 

In  this  face  raged  the  whole  violence  of  a  passion 
whose  magnitude  even  its  possessor  had  not  known 
until  about  to  lose  its  object.  That  moment  had 
now  come,  and  it  demanded  its  right.  Upon  this 
pale  forehead,  on  these  trembling  lips,  in  these 
burning  eyes  stood  plainly  written  all  that  to-day's 
conversation  had  cost  him.  And  yet  Baron  Win- 
deg  had  expressed  his  surprise  that  the  affair  could 
be  so  easily  arranged  ! 

And  now  it  had  come — that  long-dreaded  hour  of 
separation !  And  it  was  well  that  it  had  come 
thus;  that  another  will  had  interposed  where  his 
own  had  proved  itself  powerless.  How  often  dur- 
ing the  last  fortnight  had  Arthur  thought  of  avail- 
ing himself  of  the  excuse  which  the  baron  now  pro- 
posed to  him,  and  thereby  shortening  the  torture 
of  this  life  with  Eugenie  ;  for  that  calculating  out- 
side coldness,  for  whose  deception  the  inward  glow 
must  every  moment  atone,  could  be  borne  no  longer. 
For  this  mortal  strength  could  not  suffice,  and  yet 
nothing  had  been  done. 

That  the  inevitable  had  best  happen  speedily  is  a 
truth  none  can  gainsay,  but  not  every  one  who 
possesses  the  courage  to  set  the  knife  with  firm 


250  GOOD  LUCK. 

hand  to  an  envenomed  bodily  wound  has  the  same 
courage  to  tear  a  consuming  passion  from  the  heart. 

They  had  long  been  alienated,  these  two,  but  he 
saw  ever  before  him  that  beautiful  blond  head, 
with  the  proud,  but  now  grave  features  and  the 
dark,  expressive  eyes ;  that  voice  rang  ever  in  his 
ears ;  and  at  moments  there  flashed  through  his 
soul  a  lightning-like  gleam  of  happiness,  which 
counterbalanced  days  and  weeks  full  of  bitterness ; 
as  yesterday,  when  in  the  forest,  with  such  manifest 
anxiety  she  had  pressed  her  horse  close  to  his, 
when  she  had  trembled  in  his  arms  as  he  lifted  her 
down.  It  might  be  cowardice,  but  of  his  own  free 
will  he  could  not  have  renounced  all  this  until 
others  had  ordered  it  as  now. 

The  door  softly  opened  and  a  servant  stepped 
hesitatingly  upon  the  threshold. 

"  What  "is  it ~?"  asked  Arthur  hastily.  "  Have  I 
not  given  orders " 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Herr  Berkow,"  said  the  man 
timidly.  "  I  know  that  you  do  not  wish  to  be  dis- 
turbed ;  but  as — as  her  ladyship  herself— 

"Who?" 

"  My  lady  herself  is  here  and  wishes — 

The  servant  had  no  time  to  end  the  sentence,  and 
he  could  but  be  surprised  at  the  violence  with  which 
his  master  flung  open  the  door  and  hastened  into 
the  anteroom,  where  he  very  unexpectedly  saw  his 
wife,  who  seemed  to  be  waiting  there.  The  next 
moment  he  was  at  her  side. 


GOOD  LUCK.  251 

"  Do  you  have  yourself  announced  ?  What  super- 
fluous etiquette !" 

"  I  heard  that  you  would  see  no  one,  and  Franz 
told  me-the  order  was  for  all,  without  exception." 

Arthur  cast  an  angry  glance  at  the  servant,  who 
said  apologetically : 

"I  really  did  not  know  what  to  do  in  this  case. 
It  is  the  first  time  her  ladyship  has  come  here." 

The  words  contained  an  embarrassed  apology, 
nothing  more  ;  but  Eugenie  turned  quickly  away, 
and  the  excuse  for  this  intrusion  which  was  upon 
her  lips  remained  unspoken.  The  man  was  right : 
his  instructions  did  not  suffice  for  so  unusual  a  case 
as  the  appearance  of  her  ladyship  in  his  master's 
apartments.  This  was  the  first  time  she  had  en- 
tered them.  They  had  as  yet  always  met  in  the  salon, 
the  dining-hall,  or  reception-rooms.  It  was  no  won- 
der this  visit  was  a  surprise  to  the  servant. 

Arthur  motioned  to  the  valet  to  withdraw  and 
invited  his  wife  into  the  cabinet.  She  paused  hesi- 
tatingly upon  the  threshold. 

"I  wished  to  speak  with  you,"  she  said  in  a  low 
voice. 

"I  am  quite  at  your  command,"  replied  Arthur. 

He  closed  the  door  and  motioned  Eugenie  to  take 
a  seat.  These  few  moments  had  sufficed  to  give 
back  to  the  young  man  all  that  self-possession  of 
which,  for  the  last  few  weeks,  he  had  made  such 
effectual  use.  Answer  and  question  were  as  cool 
and  formal  as  though  he  offered  a  civility  to  some 
strange  lady  in  a  strange  salon. 


252  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Will  you  not  take  a  seat  ?" 

"  I  thank  you.     I  will  not  long  detain  you." 

There  was  something  timid  and  hesitating  in  the 
young  woman's  manner,  which  peculiarly  contrasted 
with  her  usual  self-possessed  bearing.  Perhaps  she 
felt  strange  in  these  rooms  ;  and  perhaps,  too,  it  was 
difficult  for  her  to  find  words  with  which  to  begin. 
Arthur  made  no  effort  to  place  her  at  her  ease.  He 
saw  how  twice  she  sought  to  speak  and  was  not 
able,  but  he  sat  at  the  opposite  side  of  the  writing- 
table  quietly  waiting  for  her  to  begin. 

"  My  father  has  told  me  of  his  conversation  with 
you  to-day  and  also  of  its  result,"  she  said  at 
length. 

"  I  expected  this  ;  and  it  was  on  this  very  account 
— I  beg  your  pardon,  Eugenie — that  I  was  at  first 
so  surprised  to  see  you  here.  I  believed  you  busied 
in  preparations  for  departure." 

The  words  might  well  cause  Eugenie  to  forget  his 
emotion  at  her  appearance,  and  they  seemed  to 
have  this  effect.  Some  moments  passed  before  she 
answered : 

"  You  have  already  announced  my  departure  to 
the  servants  ?" 

"  Yes.  I  suppose  I  anticipated  your  wishes.  In 
any  event,  I  thought  it  better  to  have  the  order  for 
preparation  given  by  me.  You  know  the  pretext 
we  employ.  Did  you  design  conducting  the  affair 
in  any  other  manner  ?  If  so,  I  regret  not  having 
known  your  intention." 

The  tone  was  icy,  and  from  it  something  like  an 


GOOD  LUCK.  253 

icy  breath  seemed  to  float  over  to  Eugenie.  She 
involuntarily  started  back. 

"  I  have  nothing  to  suggest  to  you.  It  only  sur- 
prised me  that  the  time  of  my  departure  once  firmly 
agreed  upon  should  be  hastened.  You  had  the 
same  reasons  for  holding  fast  to  that  decision  as  at 
first." 

"  I  ?  It  was  your  wish,  your  demand,  to  which  in 
this  case  I  consented.  At  least,  Baron  Windeg  told 
me  this  was  so." 

Eugenie  started.  It  seemed  as  if,  with  the  deep 
sigh  of  relief  that  all  at  once  rose  from  her  breast, 
her  timidity  and  hesitation  had  vanished — as  if  with 
that  answer  all  her  courage  had  returned. 

"I  suspected  this.  My  father  has  gone  too  far, 
Arthur.  He  has  spoken  in  ray  name  when  he  only 
expressed  his  own  wishes.  I  am  come  to  explain 
this  misunderstanding  and  to  tell  you  that  I  will 
not  go,  at  least  not  until  I  hear  from  your  lips  that 
you  demand  it." 

Eugenie  had  fixed  her  glance  firmly,  but  in  anx- 
ious, breathless  expectation  upon  Arthur's  face,  as  if 
she  must  and  would  read  his  eyes ;  but  the  eyes  re- 
mained veiled  and  her  words  seemed  not  to  have  the 
slightest  effect.  She  thought  that  a  quiver  passed 
over  his  features  as  she  explained  the  misunder- 
standing, but  perhaps  she  had  only  imagined  this, 
for  the  emotion,  if  there  was  any,  went  as  quickly 
as  it  came.  The  face  remained  unchanged  and  the 
voice  retained  its  icy  tone  as,  after  a  momentary 
pause,  he  answered  : 


254  GOOD  LUCK 

"  You  will  not  go  ?     And  why  not  ?" 

The  young  wife,  with  the  fullest  decision,  rose 
and  stood  before  her  husband. 

"You  yourself  told  me  yesterday  that  in  the 
struggle  before  you  your  existence  was  at  stake. 
Since  your  last  meeting  with  Hartmann  I  have 
known  that  the  battle  must  be  fought  out  to  the 
bitter  end,  and  that  your  position  is  far  more  dan- 
gerous than  you  will  admit  to  me.  I  cannot  and 
will  not  leave  you  in  such  a  moment :  that  would  be 
cowardice,  and " 

"  You  are  very  magnanimous,"  interrupted  Ar- 
thur ;  and  now  behind  the  coldness  of  his  tone  lay 
a  bitterness  he  could  not  conceal.  "  But  in  order  to 
practice  magnanimity  you  must  find  some  one  who 
will  accept  it,  and  I  will  not  accept  yours." 

Eugenie's  hand,  as  if  in  repressed  anger,  grasped 
at  the  velvet-cushioned  arm  of  the  chair. 

"  You  will  not  ?" 

"  No  !  The  plan  emanated  from  your  father :  let 
it  stand!  He  has  doubtless  a  right  to  provide  for 
the  protection  and  security  of  his  daughter,  who 
will  shortly  belong  to  him,  from  the  barbarities 
and  excesses  which  may  soon  happen  here.  I  give 
him  full  power  in  this  matter  and  agree  to  to- 
morrow's separation." 

The  young  wife  energetically  threw  back  her 
blond  head. 

"  And  I  consent  only  so  long  as  I  consider  it  your 
wish.  I  will  not  yield  in  this  matter  to  the  dicta- 
tion of  my  father.  I  have  taken  upon  myself  the 


GOOD  LUCK.  255 

obligations  of  your  wife,  at  least  before  the  world, 
and  before  the  world  I  will  carry  them  out.  They 
command  me  not  to  basely  desert  you  in  the  hour 
of  danger,  but  to  remain  at  your  side  until  the 
catastrophe  is  past  and  the  time  of  our  separation 
originally  agreed  upon  has  arrived.  Then  1  will  go, 
but  not  before." 

"  Not  even  if  I  imperatively  demand  it  of  you  ?" 

"  Arthur !" 

He  stood  with  half-averted  face,  one  hand  nerv- 
ously crumpling  a  paper  from  his  writing-table, 
which  he  had  seized  mechanically.  The  self-control 
so  painfully  summoned  could  no  longer  face  this 
glance  and  tone. 

"  I  have  told  you  once  already  to  play  no  mag- 
nanimous roles  with  me,"  he  said  bitterly.  "  They 
cannot  move  me.  Duties  !  A  wife  who  of  her  own 
free  will  gives  a  man  her  hand  and  heart  may  well 
deem  it  her  duty  to  remain  by  her  husband  in  dan- 
ger, to  share  his  misfortune,  perhaps  his  ruin,  as  she 
has  shared  his  happiness.  This  certainly  is  not 
your  case.  We  have  no  duties  to  each  other,  be- 
cause we  have  had  no  right  in  each  other.  The 
only  solace  I  could  offer  you  in  this  enforced  mar- 
riage was  the  possibility  of  its  dissolution :  it  has 
been  dissolved  since  that  moment  when  we  agreed 
to  a  divorce.  That  is  my  answer  to  your  proposi- 
tion." 

Eugenie's  dark  eyes  still  remained  steadily  fixed 
upon  Arthur's  face.  That  fervid,  treacherous  gleam 
from  his  eyes,  which  once  hud  seemed  to  unveil  an 


256  GOOD  LUCK. 

unknown  depth  to  her,  did  not  come  to-day,  when 
at  any  price  she  would  have  compelled  it  forth.  He 
did  not  grant  her  the  triumph  of  again  seeing  or 
suspecting  that  which  alone  could  have  induced  this 
proud'  woman  to  come  to  him  with  such  a  proffer : 
he  remained  fully  master  of  himself,  and  she  was 
left  in  torturing  doubt. 

Yesterday,  upon  that  wooded  height,  when  the 
flaming  glance  of  Ulrich  Hartmann  rested  upon  her 
face,  the  woman's  instinct  had  plainly  and  une- 
quivocally told  her  what  lay  behind  that  glance,  and 
with  that  consciousness  a  sudden  terror  had  come 
over  her.  There  she  had  remained  cool  in  the 
midst  of  the  danger  with  which  an  insane  passion 
threatened  her ;  here,  where  there  was  nothing  to 
fear,  she  trembled  in  feverish  excitement,  and  for 
that  very  reason  all  those  brown  eyes  had  revealed 
to  her  up  yonder  was  now  veiled  ;  for  that  reason 
the  inner  voice  was  silent  in  regard  to  that  she 
would  have  given  her  life  to  know  with  certainty. 

"  You  should  not  make  remaining  so  difficult  for 
me,"  she  said,  in  a  voice  that  betrayed  the  torturing 
suspense  of  her  soul.  She  wavered  between  un- 
bending pride  and  weak  submission.  "  You  know, 
Arthur,  the  struggle  it  must  have  cost  me  to  come 
to  you.  Will  you  not  consider  it?" 

The  words  sounded  almost  like  an  entreaty,  but 
Arthur  could  not  in  his  present  mood  understand 
this.  The  wild  resentment,  the  fearful  excitement 
which  surged  through  his  whole  being,  even  here 
biased  and  controlled  his  better  judgment  as  he 
cuttingly  replied : 


GOOD  LUCK.  257 

"  I  do  not  doubt  that  the  Baroness  Windeg  makes 
an  incalculable  sacrifice  in  deciding  for  three 
months  longer  to  bear  my  plebeian  name  and  to 
remain  by  the  side  of  a  man  she  so  thoroughly 
despises,  even  though  he  offers  her  immediate  free- 
dom. I  was  once  compelled  to  hear  how  terrible 
both  were  to  her,  and  can  therefore  estimate  what 
this  self-sacrifice  costs." 

"  You  taunt  me  with  the  conversation  upon  the 
evening  of  our  arrival  here,"  said  Eugenie  in  a  low 
voice.  "  I — I  had  forgotten  it." 

Now,  at  last,  Arthur's  eyes  flashed,  but  the  light 
for  which  she  had  sought  and  hoped  was  not  there. 
A  strange,  hostile  expression  gleamed  from  them. 

"  Have  you  really  ?  You  do  not  ask  whether  I 
have  forgotten  it  ?  I  was  obliged  at  that  time  to 
listen  to  your  words,  but  they  went  to  the  utmost 
limit  of  what  I  could  bear.  Do  you  think  that  a 
man  would  with  impunity  allow  a  woman  to  tread 
him  in  the  dust  as  I  was  trodden  that  evening,  and 
then  permit  her  to  lift  him  up  again  if  it  happened 
to  please  her  to  change  her  mind  ?  I  am  not  quite 
the  miserable  weakling  you  deemed  me.  From  that 
hour  I  ceased  to  be  so.  That  hour  decided  my 
character ;  but  it  also  decided  our  future.  As  for 
what  threatens  me  and  may  threaten  me,  I  will 
bear  it  alone.  I  have  learned  a  great  deal  in  these 
last  weeks.  I  shall  carry  through  this  contest ;  but" 
—here  he  rose  and,  glowing  with  pride  and  resent- 
ment, stood  before  her — u  but  the  woman  who  on 
our  marriage-clay,  with  such  annihilating  scorn, 


258  GOOD  LUCK 

thrust  me  from  her,  not  even  asking  if  the  husband 
to  whom  she  had  just  given  her  hand  was  really  so 
guilty  as  she  believed  him ;  who  took  my  asser- 
tion, made  upon  my  word  of  honor,  that  I  had 
known  nothing  of  my  father's  share  in  that  mar- 
riage transaction,  as  the  subterfuge  of  a  liar ;  who, 
in  reply  to  my  question  whether  she  did  not  deem 
it  worth  her  while  to  attempt  the  reformation  of 
such  a  reprobate  as  I,  flung  forth  a  disdainful  No— 
this  woman  I  will  not  have  at  my  side  when  I  fight 
out  the  battle  for  my  future.  I  will  be  alone !" 

He  turned  impetuously  away.  Eugenie  stood 
there  silent,  confounded.  Greatly  as  her  husband's 
character  had  changed  of  late,  she  had  never  before 
seen  him  in  a  passion  ;  and  now  he  was  terribly 
angry — angry  to  a  degree  that  frightened  her.  By 
this  storm  now  raging  against  her  she  could  judge 
what  that  evening  had  lain  concealed  behind  the 
outward  indifference  which  had  so  roused  her  indig- 
nation— what  for  months  long  had  fumed  within 
him  until  it  had  at  last  wrested  him  from  the 
apathy  which  had  become  his  second  nature. 

Ah,  yes!  That  cold,  disdainful  No.  She  best 
knew  the  wrong  that  by  its  utterance  she  had  done 
him ;  and  now,  when  she  saw  how  deeply  it  had 
wounded  him,  she  felt  that  this  hour  might  perhaps 
have  canceled  all  the  wrong  each  had  done  the 
other  had  it  not  been  for  that  unfortunate  last 
•word. 

This  touched  the  young  wife's  pride,  and  where 
ber  pride  was  concerned  all  was  over  with  her  judg- 


GOOD  LUCK.  259 

ment  and  prudence,  even  though  she  knew  herself 
in  the  wrong. 

"  You  will  stand  alone !"  repeated  she.  "  Well, 
then,  I  will  not  obtrude  myself  upon  you.  I  came 
to  convince  myself  whether  my  father's  plan  was 
yours  also.  I  see  that  it  is  so — and  I  will  leave 
you." 

She  turned  to  go.  At  the  door  she  paused  sud- 
denly. It  seemed  to  her,  at  the  moment  when  her 
hand  was  upon  the  latch,  as  if  he  started  up,  as  if 
he  made  a  motion  to  rush  after  her  ;  but  this  must 
have  been  an  illusion,  for  when  she  turned  around 
Arthur  still  sat  at  his  writing-table.  He  was 
certainly  deathly  pale,  but  in  his  bearing,  on  every 
feature,  stood  written  the  word  with  which  she  had 
once  thrust  him  from  her — a  bitter,  unrelenting  No. 

Eugenie  summoned  up  her  last  remaining  courage 
for  an  adieu. 

"  We  shall  meet  to-morrow  only  in  my  father's 
presence,  and  then,  perhaps,  never  again.  So — 
farewell,  Arthur!" 

"  Farewell !"  he  said  in  a  hollow  voice. 

The  door  closed  behind  her :  she  had  vanished. 
This  last  interview  had  been  unavailing :  the  last 
bridge  to  reconciliation  was  broken  down.  The 
obstinacy  of  neither  would  yield ;  neither  would 
speak  the  word  which  would  reconcile  all,  even  had 
it  been  tenfold  worse.  Pride  alone  spoke,  and  thus 
was  her  decision  spoken. 

Gray  and  cloudy  came  the  next  morning  over  the 
mountains,  but  at  an  unwonted  hour  all  was  in 


260  GOOD  LUCK. 

commotion  at  the  Berkow  house.  The  travelers 
must  depart  early  so  as  to  be  in  time  at  the  station 
and  reach  the  Residence  that  evening.  Curt  von 
Windeg  was  first  in  the  salon ;  the  baron  still  re- 
mained in  his  chamber,  and  Eugenie  had  not  as  yet 
made  her  appearance.  The  young  officer  seemed 
to  wait  for  something  or  other  with  an  impatience 
he  could  not  conceal.  He  had  already  paced  up 
and  down  the  room  several  times,  stood  on  the 
balcony,  and  then  thrown  himself  down  in  afauteuil, 
from  which  he  now  sprang  up  hastily  as  Arthur  en- 
tered. 

"  Ah  !  you  here  already  ?"  he  said,  greeting  his 
young  brother-in-law  with  that  chilling  politeness 
which  was  usual  between  them. 

Curt  ran  excitedly  to  meet  him. 

"  I  would  like  to  have  a  few  words  with  you 
alone,"  he  said ;  "  but  good  heavens !  what  is  the 
matter  with  you  ?  Are  you  ill  ?" 

"  I  ?"  answered  Arthur  calmly.  "  What  are  you 
thinking  of  ?  I  am  quite  well." 

"  Indeed  !"  returned  Curt,  with  a  glance  upon 
the  pale,  care-worn,  melancholy  face  of  his  brother- 
in-law.  "  I  should  have  supposed  the  contrary." 

"  I  am  not  accustomed  to  this  early  rising,"  said 
Arthur  somewhat  impatiently  ;  "  it  always  makes 
one  look  weary.  I  fear  you  will  have  an  unpleasant 
journey  to-day.  It  is  a  horribly  cloudy  morning." 

He  stepped  to  the  window  as  if  to  take  an  obser- 
vation of  the  weather,  but  in  truth  it  was  only  to 
withdraw  from  Curt's  annoying  scrutiny  of  his 


GOOD  LUCK.  261 

face.     But  Curt  would  not  let  him  escape  so  easily. 
He  stepped  close  to  his  side. 

"  I  wanted  to  be  first  here,"  began  he  a  little 
hesitatingly,  "  because  I  sought  a  private  interview 
with  you,  Arthur." 

The  individual  addressed  turned  around,  as  much 
surprised  at  this  request  as  at  the  manner  of  the 
address.  During  the  whole  period  of  their  relation- 
ship Curt  had  scarce  once  called  him  by  his  bap- 
tismal name.  He  usually  followed  his  father's 
example  and  employed  the  stiff  "  Herr  Berkow." 

"  Well?"  asked  Arthur  kindly. 

A  sort  of  timidity  and  embarrassment  for  the 
moment  struggled  in  the  young  officer's  features, 
but  all  at  once  he  raised  his  handsome,  open  face  to 
his  brother-in-law  and  said  frankly  : 

"We  have  done  you  wrong,  Arthur,  and  I  per- 
haps most  of  all.  I  was  enraged  at  the  compulsion 
employed  with  us,  and — let  me  candidly  confess  it 
to  you — I  have  had  a  downright  hatred  for  you 
from  the  moment  you  became  my  brother-in-law 
Yesterday  I  learned  that  we  had  erred  in  regard  to 
you,  and  then  the  hatred  was  all  over.  I  am  sorry, 
very  sorry  for  it  all ;  and  this — this  was  what  1 
wished  to  say  to  you.  Will  you  accept  my  apology, 
Arthur?" 

Warmly  and  cordially  he  held  out  his  hand,  and 
Arthur  grasped  it. 

"  I  thank  you,  Curt,"  he  simply  said. 

"  God  be  thanked,  this  is  over !  It  has  kept  me 
awake  all  night  long,"  exclaimed  Curt.  "  And, 


GOOD  LUCK. 

believe  me,  my  father  now  does  you  justice.  It  is 
true,  he  will  not  confess  his  thoughts  to  you  ;  but  I 
know  what  they  are." 

A  smile  flitted  over  Berkow's  face,  but  neither 
his  eyes  nor  forehead  brightened  :  heavy  shadows 
still  lay  upon  both  as  he  calmly  answered  : 

"  I  am  glad  of  it.  So  we  separate,  at  least,  not  as 
enemies." 

"And  as  for  the  separation,"  interrupted  Curt 
hastily,  "  papa  is  still  up  in  his  chamber  and  Eugenie 
must  be  for  the  moment  quite  alone  in  hers.  Will 
you  not  speak  with  her  ?" 

"  And  why  ?"  asked  Arthur  in  surprise.  "  The 
baron  may  any  moment  appear,  and  Eugenie  would 
hardly " 

"  I  will  place  myself  before  the  door  and  let  no 
one  in,"  interrupted  Curt  eagerly.  "  I  shall  know 
how  to  keep  papa  outside  until  you  are  ready  to  see 
him." 

A  quick  flush  passed  over  Arthur's  face  as  he 
met  the  intent,  searching  glance  of  his  brother-in- 
law.  But  he  gravely  shook  his  head. 

"  No,  Curt,  that  is  unnecessary.  I,  yesterday 
evening,  once  again  and  finally,  spoke  with  your 
sister." 

"  And  about  the  departure  ?" 

"  Yes,  about  the  departure." 

The  young  officer  looked  somewhat  disappointed, 
but  no  time  remained  to  him  for  further  proposi- 
tions. Outside  the  baron's  step  was  already  heard 
and  he  immediately/  after  entered.  Curt,  with  a 


GOOD  LUCK  263 

half-angry  gesture,  withdrew  more  into  the  back- 
grounH  of  the  room,  muttering  to  himself :  "  And 
yet  the  thing  is  not  right." 

The  unavoidable  interview  during  breakfast  was 
over.  The  precise  formality  of  the  baron  and  the 
constant  presence  of  a  servant  had  helped  all 
through  with  it,  and  now  the  carriage  drove  up  be- 
fore the  terrace.  The  gentlemen  put  on  their 
overcoats,  Eugenie's  waiting-maid  brought  her 
mistress'  hat  and  shawl,  Arthur  offered  his  wife  his 
arm  to  conduct  her  down.  The  appearance  of  a 
perfect  understanding  should  be  preserved  to  the 
last  moment. 

Gray  and  cloudy  the  morning  had  come  over  the 
mountains ;  gray  and  cloudy  it  now  descended  into 
the  valleys ;  before  the  windows  ebbed  and  flowed 
a  sea  of  fog,  and  within  the  cold,  frosty  morning 
light  that  already  filled  the  rooms  gave  them  a 
weird,  desolate  appearance.  It  seemed  as  if  the 
costly  splendor  of  their  adorning  had  all  at  once 
lost  glow  and  color — as  if  they  had  become  empty, 
wholly  empty,  now  that  the  young  mistress  was 
about  to  leave  them,  never  to  return. 

Curt  remarked  silently  that  his  sister  had  the 
same  sad,  weary  look  which  had  just  now  so  startled 
him  in  Arthur's  face,  but  otherwise  he  could  not 
discover  anything  unusual  in  the  appearance  of 
either.  They  knew  how  to  carry  out  the  role  they 
had  undertaken,  even  though  their  features  betrayed 
that  it  had  cost  them  sleepless  nights,  and  perhaps 
this  dumb,  cold  self-possession  was  no  r6le  at  all. 


364  GOOD  LUCK. 

When  the  storm  has  raved  itself  out,  then  follows 
that  calm  which  so  often  in  life  helps  us  over  the 
bitterest,  over  the  most  dreaded  events  with  com- 
parative ease,  because,  as  it  were,  a  veil  lies  over  the 
soul,  shutting  out  a  clear  consciousness  of  the 
decisive  moment ;  because  all  the  earlier  struggles 
and  wrestlings  subside  into  a  dumb,  hollow  misery, 
through  which  only  now  and  then  darts  a  sharp, 
stifling  thrill  of  agony,  by  which  alone  we  are 
aware  of  how  much  we  have  really  suffered. 

Leaning  on  her  husband's  arm,  Eugenie  descended 
the  stairs,  without  really  being  conscious  where  she 
went  or  how.  As  in  a  dream  she  saw  the  carpeted 
steps  against  which  her  dress  rustled,  the  tall 
oleander  trees  which  adorned  the  vestibule,  the 
faces  of  the  servants  who  made  a  parting  bow  to 
her  ladyship — all  this  glided  dim  and  shadowy  past 
her.  Then  suddenly  something  sharp  and  almost 
painful  touched  her  forehead.  It  was  the  cold 
morning  air.  She  gazed  out  into  it,  and  before  her 
she  saw  the  carriage  which  was  to  bear  her  away 
—it  alone.  Then  terrace,  flower-garden,  park,  and 
fountains  all  vanished  in  the  twilight  and  the  sway- 
ing fog. 

Yet  once  again  the  eyes  of  the  husband  and  wife 
met,  but  they  said  nothing  to  each  other.  The  veil 
lay  thick  and  heavy  between  them  also.  Then  the 
young  wife  felt  a  hand  moist  and  icy  cold  lying 
within  her  own  and  heard  some  seemingly  polite, 
distant  parting  words  which  she  did  not  understand  ; 
but  it  was  Arthur's  voice  which  spoke  to  her,  and 


GOOD  LUCK.  265 

with  this  consciousness,  again  a  sharp,  stifling  pang 
darted  through  the  hollow  dream.  Then  came  the 
stamping  of  hoofs  and  the  rolling  of  wheels,  and 
forward  they  went  into  the  gray  fog  that  ebbed 
and  surged  around  them,  as  at  that  time  when  the 
separation  had  been  decided — upon  the  wooded 
height  in  that  hour  of  spring ;  and  what  there 
separates  is  separated  for  all  eternit\\ 


266  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

"  1  TELL  you,"  said  the  chief  engineer  to  the 
director  as  they  were  walking  home  together, "  that 
things  are  getting  serious.  Hartmann  seems  to 
have  given  the  signal  for  insurrection.  The  miners 
really  defy  us,  and  insults  are  the  order  of  the  day. 
Our  men  have  stirred  up  the  whole  province  to 
rebel.  All  the  other  works  are  in  commotion:  we 
only  had  the  honor  of  beginning.  All  this  is  water 
to  Hartmann's  mill.  He  carries  his  head  higher 
than  ever." 

"  Herr  Berkovv  seems  to  comprehend  all,"  returned 
the  director.  "  He  has  already  sent  her  ladyship 
to  a  place  of  safety.  That  proceeding  best  proves 
what  he  fears  from  his  miners." 

"  From  the  miners — pshaw  !"  exclaimed  the  chief 
engineer.  "  We  might  already  have  arranged 
matters  with  them  if  it  had  not  been  for  one,  but 
so  long  as  he  commands  peace  and  quiet  are  not  to 
be  thought  of.  Only  let  Hartmann  be  a  week 
absent  from  the  works,  and  I  would  vouch  for  the 
balance." 

"  I  have  already  thought  of  that,"  said  the  director, 
looking  circumspectly  around  him ;  and  then, 
lowering  his  voice :  "  I  have  already  thought  of 


GOOD  LUCK.  267 

that,  and  whether  we  could  not  make  use  of  the 
suspicion  against  him,  which  every  one  here  enter- 
tains and  with  which  I  believe  no  one  does  him 
wrong.  What  think  you  of  that  ?" 

"That  would  not  answer.  We  have  suspicions 
enough,  but  where  are  the  proofs?  Nothing  could 
be  found  wrong  about  the  machine  and  the  ropes, 
only  that  the  rope  had  just  broken;  and  the  gentle- 
men of  the  law  have  searched  thoroughly  enough 
into  the  matter.  How  it  came  and  what  happened 
down  there  Hartmann  alone  knows,  and  he  can 
equal  any  man  in  lying.  If  arrested,  they  would 
have  to  let  him  go  free  without  result." 

"  But  a  law  trial  would  for  a  time  make  him 
harmless.  If  we  accuse  him  there  would  be  some 
weeks'  imprisonment." 

The  chief  engineer  frowned. 

"  Would  you  take  upon  yourself  the  responsibility 
of  the  fury  of  our  miners  if  we  imprison  their 
leader  ?  I  would  not.  They  would  storm  our 
houses  if  they  saw  through  the  maneuver,  as  they 
certainly  would.". 

"  That  is  questionable.  They  do  not  feel  the  old 
love  for  him. 

"  But  they  do  the  old  fear.  With  that  he  rules 
them  more  despotically  than  ever ;  and  then  you  do 
our  hirelings  wrong  if  you  believe  they  would 
desert  their  leader  upon  a  bare  suspicion.  They 
may  stand  in  awe  of  him,  they  may  become 
estranged  from  him  in  time  ;  but  the  moment  we 
lay  hands  upon  him  they  will  rally  around  him  and 


268  GOOD  LUCK. 

protect  him  from  every  danger.  No,  no !  that  will 
not  do.  What  we  would  above  all  shun — a  bloody 
conflict — would  then  be  inevitable ;  and  besides,  I 
am  convinced  that  Herr  Berkow  would  not  lend  his 
hand  to  this." 

"  But  does  he  still  dream  nothing  of  the  suspi- 
cion'?" asked  the  director. 

"  No.  Naturally  no  one  ventures  to  give  him  a 
hint  of  it,  and  I  believe  we  had  best  spare  him  this 
for  the  present.  He  has  already  enough  to  bear." 

"  Ah,  yes,  more  than  enough  ;  and  the  bad  news 
oof  last  week  and  Herr  Schaffer's  letters  from  the 
Kesidence   seem  not  to  remain  without  effect.     I 
believe  he  seriously  thinks  of  yielding." 

"  Oh,  no !  not  at  all,"  returned  the  chief  engineer 
excitedly.  "  It  is  now  too  late  for  that.  After  the 
answer  he  gave  the  workmen  when  they  offered 
him  the  choice  of  risking  his  fortune  or  of  taking 
upon  himself  whatever  discipline  Herr  Hartmann 
might  choose  to  inflict — after  the  manner  in  which 
he  met  them  there  can  be  no  more  talk  of  yield- 
ing. If  Berkow  does  not  remain  firm  every  vestige 
of  his  authority  is  gone.  He  must  go  forward  ;  and 
to  be  obliged  to  go  forward  is  always  an  advantage 
in  a  fight." 

"  But  if  his  fortune  is  at  stake  !" 

"  Say,  rather,  if  it  is  his  honor  which  is  at  stake." 

Both  gentlemen  fell  into  a  heated  and  fruitless 
debate,  whose  result,  as  usual,  was  that  each  stood 
by  his  own  opinion.  They  soon  separated,  and  as 
the  chief  engineer  entered  his  house  he  growled 
after  his  colleague : 


GOOD  LUCK.  269 

"  A  very  beautiful  thing,  this  neutrality  ;  always 
prettily  anxious,  always  prettily  cautious  not  to 
commit  one's  self  with  either  party,  because  one 
can  never  know  which  is  going  to  triumph.  I  wish 
that  all  the  cowards —  Wilberg,  what  the  deuce 
are  you  saying  there  to  my  daughter?" 

The  two  young  people  whom  this  question  con- 
cerned shrank  in  fright  from  each  other  as  if  they 
had  been  detected  in  a  crime,  although,  in  reality, 
it  was  only  a  harmless  kiss  of  Melanie's  hand  in 
which  Herr  Wilberg  had  indulged.  But  he  looked, 
meanwhile,  so  sentimental  and  Melanie  on  her  sid» 
so  susceptible  that  the  father,  already  vexed  and 
enraged  at  his  late  conversation  with  the  director, 
came  storming  between  them  like  a  hurricane. 

"  I  most  emphatically  beg  }Tour  pardon,"  stam- 
mered the  young  officer ;  while  Fraulein  Melanie, 
knowing  that  a  kissing  of  the  hand  could  under  no 
circumstances  be  so  bad  a  thing,  looked  on  very 
saucily. 

"  I  most  emphatically  beg  for  an  explanation," 
cried  the  chief  engineer  angrily.  "  What  business 
have  you  down  here  in  the  vestibule  ?  Why  do  you 
not  go  up  to  the  reception-room  as  you  ought  to  ?" 

The  explanation  demanded  could  not  be  given  in 
a  word,  although  the  young  people  were  innocent 
enough  in  this  meeting.  Wilberg  had  come  to  the 
house  of  his  superior  officer  with  a  message  from 
Herr  Berkow  in  his  head  and  deep  melancholy  in 
his  heart.  The  latter  naturally  arose  from  the  de- 
parture  of  her  ladyship.  He  had  known  of  this  the 


270  GOOD  LUCK. 

evening  before,  but  happily  he  had  slept  through 
the  eventful  morning.  The  young  officer  was  no 
early  riser :  he  had  never  been  guilty  of  the  folly 
of  exposing  himself  to  the  cold,  foggy  morning  air, 
which  might  have  given  him  the  rheumatism.  It 
had  not  been  he  who  in  the  gray  dawn  stood  under 
the  firs  there,  where  the  highway  wound  into  the 
forest,  patiently  waiting,  in  spite  of  fog  and  cold, 
for  the  sake  of  the  one  minute  in  which  the  coach 
would  roll  past — for  the  sake  of  the  one  glance  he 
might  cast  there,  seeking  the  face  he  was  not  to 
find — the  face  which  with  closed  eyes  lay  buried  in 
the  cushions. 

When  that  other,  returning  home,  went  past  his 
windows  and  entered  the  overseer's  house,  Herr 
Wilberg  slept  on  in  undisturbed  repose ;  but  this 
did  not  prevent  his  finding  himself  infinitely  un- 
happy on  awaking,  and  for  the  whole  week  through 
carrying  about  with  him  so  melancholy  a  face  that 
Frauleiu  Melanie,  who  by  chance  had  met  him  in 
the  vestibule,  could  not  help  sympathetically  ask- 
ing him  what  was  the  matter. 

The  young  poet  was  just  in  that  mood  to  pour 
forth  his  sorrow  into  the  ear  of  any  sympathetic 
being.  He  therefore  sighed  several  times,  made 
several  efforts  to  speak,  and  at  last  unburdened  his 
whole  heart,  naturally  to  receive  in  return  the  deep- 
est sympathy.  If  the  young  lady  had  before  been 
inquisitive,  she  was  now  affected  beyond  all  meas- 
ure. She  thought  this  affair  highly  romantic  and 
poor  Wilberg  worthy  of  her  deepest  coramisera- 


GOOD  LUCK.  271 

tion.  She  therefore  took  it  as  quite  a  matter  of 
course  when,  at  the  end  of  all  these  outpourings 
and  consolings,  Wilberg  seized  her  hand  to  imprint 
upon  it  a  grateful  kiss.  There  was  certainly  not 
the  slightest  danger  that  he  loved  any  other  than 
her  ladyship. 

Into  this  poetic  scene  the  chief  engineer  now  in- 
truded with  all  the  prose  of  his  parental  authorit}^ 
and  demanded  to  know  why  this  overpowering  of 
the  heart  had  taken  place  below  here  in  the  vesti- 
bule, rather  than  up  in  the  reception-room,  where 
the  presence  of  Melanie's  mamma  would  certainly 
have  laid  some  restraint  upon  it. 

Herr  Wilberg,  conscious  of  the  great  wrong  here 
done  him,  summoned  all  his  self-possession. 

"I  have  a  message  from  Herr  Berkow,"  he  said 
in  an  explanatory  tone. 

"Ah,  indeed!  Your  errand  is  different  from 
what  I  supposed.  Go  upstairs,  Melanie !  You 
hear,  do  you  not,  that  we  have  business  matters  to 
attend  to  ?" 

Melanie  obeyed,  and  her  father  stood  at  the  foot 
of  the  stairs,  without,  as  usual,  inviting  the  young 
officer  into  his  dwelling,  so  that  he  was  obliged  to 
deliver  his  message  here. 

"  Very  well,"  said  the  chief  engineer  calmly. 
"The  drawings  in  question  stand  at  Herr  Berkow's 
disposal.  I  will  myself  take  them  to  him.  And 
now  a  word  to  you,  Wilberg.  I  have,  in  spite  of  a 
mutual  antipathy,  always  done  you  justice."  Herr 
Wilberg  bowed,  "I  regard  you  as  an  especially 


272  GOOD  LUCK. 

honorable  officer  " — Herr  Wilberg  bowed  a  second 
time — "  but  also  as  somewhat  crack-brained." 

The  young  man,  who  was  about  to  bow  a  third 
time,  started,  and  quite  beside  himself  stared  at  his 
superior,  who  with  imperturbable  calmness  of  soul 
went  on  : 

"  Now,  as  to  your  mania  for  poetizing.  It  has 
not  embraced  me,  you  think  ?  Well,  I  should  hope 
not.  You  have,  one  after  the  other,  sung  Hart- 
mann,  her  ladyship,  and  Herr  Berkow.  You  can  go 
on  with  this  sort  of  thing  if  it  gives  you  pleasure, 
but  never  let  it  occur  to  you  to  sing  my  Melanie. 
That  I  positively  forbid.  I  will  not  have  such  non- 
sense put  into  the  child's  head.  If  you  are  really 
in  need  of  a  new  object  for  your  poetic  outpourings, 
take  me  or  the  director.  We  stand  at  your  service." 

"  I  think  I  must  decline  your  kind  offer,"  said 
Wilberg,  much  piqued. 

"  As  you  please ;  but  mark  this :  my  daughter 
remains  out  of  the  game.  If  on  any  day  a  poem 
1  To  Melanie '  happens  to  fall  into  my  hands,  I  shall 
make  rough  work  with  your  iambuses  and  Alex- 
andrines, or  whatever  the  stuff  is  called.  This  is 
what  I  wished  to  say  to  you.  Good-night !" 

With  these  words  the  reckless  superior  officer 
took  leave  of  our  poet — who  had  been  wounded  in 
his  holiest  feelings — and  went  upstairs.  His  daugh- 
ter came  to  meet  him. 

"  Oh,  papa  !"  she  said,  "  how  can  you  be  so  cruel 
and  unjust  to  poor  Wilberg?  He  is  so  unhappy." 

The  chief  engineer  laughed  aloud. 


GOOD  LUCK,  273 

"Unhappy  ?  He?  A  most  unhappy  poet  he  is: 
those  are  horrible  verses  he  strings  together  ;  but 
the  more  you  seek  to  make  this  comprehensible  to 
him,  the  more  insanely  he  goes  rhyming  on.  And 
then  as  for  that  kissing  your  hand — 

"  Good  heavens,  papa !  you  are  wholly  and  en- 
tirely in  error,"  interrupted  Melanie  most  decidedly. 
"It  was  only  gratitude.  He  loves  her  ladyship,  has 
loved  her  from  the  first  moment  he  saw  her — hope- 
lessly, of  course,  as  she  is  already  married  ;  but  we 
can  well  understand  that  this  makes  him  mel- 
ancholy and  that  her  departure  has  quite  thrown 
him  into  despair." 

"  And  so,  solely  on  account  of  this  melancholy 
and  despair  he  kissed  your  hand  ?  How  strange  ! 
And  besides,  how  do  you  know  all  this,  Melanie  ? 
You  seem  in  some  extraordinary  manner  to  have 
been  initiated  into  the  heart  histories  of  this  blond 
sheep." 

The  young  lady  lifted  her  head  with  a  satisfaction 
she  could  not  conceal. 

"  I  am  his  confidante,  papa,"  she  said.  "  He  has 
unburdened  his  whole  heart  to  me.  I  would  have 
consoled  him,  but  he  can  accept  no  consolation  ;  he 
is  too  unhappy." 

"  This  is  precious  nonsense !"  broke  out  the  chief 
engineer  angrily.  "  And  so  you  have  already  got 
to  confidences  and  outpourings  of  the  heart,  have 
you  ?  I  had  not  thought  Wilberg  so  politic.  Any 
one  who  begins  to  speculate  upon  the  sympathies  of 
you  women — but  we  will  make  an  end  of  this  affair 


274  GOOD  LUCK. 

in  season.  You  will  hereafter  receive  no  such  im- 
proper confidences,  Melanie ;  and  now,  once  and 
forever,  I  forbid  all  this  consolatory  nonsense.  And 
first  of  all,  I  will  take  care  that  he  does  not  enter 
the  house  again.  You  may  rely  upon  that !" 

Melanie  turned  pouting  away.  Her  father 
showed  no  great  knowledge  of  human  nature  if  he 
really  believed  that  with  this  dictatorial  fiat  he 
could  exorcise  the  demon  which  had  all  at  once 
loomed  up  before  him  in  the  form  of  a  poetizing 
and  guitar-playing  son-in-law.  He  ought  to  have 
known  that  Melanie  would  now  in  sober  earnest 
take  upon  herself  the  task  of  consoling  this  poor, 
sorely  .misunderstood  Wilberg  whenever  and  wher- 
ever occasion  should  offer,  and  that  Herr  Wilberg 
would  that  very  evening  sit  down  to  compose  a 
poem  "  To  Melanie."  Such  things  cannot  be 
stopped  by  anybody's  "  Come,  now,  I  won't  have 
that !" 

The  day  neared  its  close.  In  setting,  the  sun  yet 
once  more  broke  through  the  enveloping  clouds, 
lighting  up  wood  and  mountain  with  a  bright 
transient  splendor  only  a  few  minutes  ;  then  the 
red  ball  of  fire  sank  slowly  down  the  horizon  ;  and 
with  it  vanished  the  departing  glory,  the  evanescent 
hues,  for  one  fleeting  moment  lent  to  the  earth. 

Arthur  Berkow  had  just  opened  the  gate  at  the 
end  of  the  park  and  was  about  to  pass  out,  when  he 
paused  involuntarily  and  spell-bound  gazed  at  the' 
departing  luminary.  His  face  now  wore  an  expres- 
sion of  the  fullest  repose,  but  it  was  a  repose  won 


GOOD  LUCK.  275 

b}7  bitter  conflict,  not  that  calmness  into  which  a 
man  uplifts  himself  \vhen  he  casts  from  him  a  weak- 
ness victoriously  overcome,  in  order  to  enter  a  new 
path.  If  one  remains  behind  alone  upon  the  sink- 
ing ship  and  in  the  distance  sees  the  boat  vanish 
which  bears  his  best  goods  and  treasures  to  some 
secure  haven,  while  the  ship  itself  incessantly  nears 
the  cliff  against  which  it  must  be  dashed  in  pieces — 
then,  indeed,  the  man's  courage  may  not  falter,  but 
he  is  no  longer  jo}rful.  When  the  last  hope  has 
vanished,  then  comes  the  calm  determination  which 
is  prepared  and  ready  to  brave  all.  This  now  lay 
upon  Arthur's  face.  The  dream  was  dreamed  out 
and  the  immediate  future  emphatically  demanded  a 
full,  perfect  awakening. 

He  walked  over  the  meadow,  taking  the  path 
leading  to  the  house  of  his  superior  officer.  The 
broad  trench  lying  along  the  upper  side  of  the  park 
crossed  the  meadow  at  this  place,  but  while  a  taste- 
ful bridge  there  marked  the  passage,  here  was  only 
a  plank,  strong  and  safe,  but  so  narrow  that  only 
one  could  go  over  it  at  a  time.  Arthur  stepped 
hastily  upon  the  plank,  without  remarking  that  an- 
other was  coming  over  from  the  opposite  side.  He 
had  already  taken  several  steps,  when  he  all  at 
once  stood  before  Ulrich  Hartmann,  who  also  seemed 
not  to  have  perceived  him  until  this  moment.  The 
young  chief  paused,  supposing  of  course  that  his 
under-steiger  would  step  back  and  let  him  pass. 
But  Ulrich  must  always  be  provoking  as  possible. 
Whether  he  really  sought  a  conflict  or  only  obeyed 


276  GOOD  LUCK 

the  impulse  of  his  own  obstinate  nature  matters 
not ;  there  he  stood  immovable  and  gave  no  sign  of 
turning  back. 

"  Well,  Hartmann,  are  we  to  remain  standing 
here  ?"  asked  Arthur  calmly  after  he  had  for  some 
moments  waited  in  vain.  "  The  board  is  too  nar- 
row for  two  ;  one  must  go  back." 

"  Must  I  be  the  one  3"  asked  Ulrich  sharply. 

"  I  certainly  thought  so." 

Hartmann  seemed  to  have  a  defiant  answer  upon 
his  lips,  but  all  at  once  he  bethought  himself. 

"  Ah,  yes  ;  you  are  upon  your  own  soil.  I  had  for- 
gotten that.'' 

He  stepped  back  and  let  Berkow  pass ;  but  when 
the  chief  reached  the  other  side  he  paused. 

"  Hartmann !" 

The  man  addressed,  who  was  just  stepping  upon 
the  plank,  now  turned  around. 

"I  should  have  had  you  summoned  to-day  had  I 
not  feared  giving  reasons  for  misconception.  But 
as  we  happen  to  meet  here  I  would  like  to  speak 
with  you." 

A  glance  of  triumph  shot  over  Ulrich's  face. 
Then  his  features  resumed  their  usual  reticent  ex- 
pression. 

"  Here,  upon  the  meadow  ?" 

"  The  place  is  indifferent,  and  we  are  here  alone.'* 

Ulrich  slowly  advanced  nearer  and  stationed  him- 
self opposite  his  chief,  who  leaned  against  one  of 
the  willows  which  bordered  the  edge  of  the  trench. 
The  night  fog  began  to  ascend  from  the  meadow, 


GOOD  LUCK.  277 

but  the  forest  up  yonder,  where  the  sun  had  set, 
was  still  illumined  by  the  twilight  glow. 

There  was  a  strange  contrast  between  these 
two — the  slender,  almost  delicate  figure  of  the 
young  aristocrat ;  the  pale  face  full  of  a  quiet  re- 
pose, with  the  large,  thoughtful  eyes,  from  which 
now  had  vanished  that  light  which  could  give  them 
a  spell  almost  of  fabulous  enchantment ;  and  the 
giant  form  of  the  workman,  with  the  haughtily 
poised  blond  head,  the  face  iron,  like  his  muscles 
and  sinews,  and  the  fier}'  glance  which  with  a  sort 
of  wild  satisfaction  sought  to  pierce  the  pale  fea- 
tures of  his  rival,  as  if  he  suspected  what  lay  behind 
them. 

The  instinct  of  jealousy  had  taught  Ulrich  to  see 
and  to  understand  where  no  one  else  saw  anything, 
and  if  the  whole  world  had  declared  that  Arthur 
Berkow  was  cold  and  distant  to  his  beautiful  wife, 
that  be  had  never  felt  the  least  affection  for  her, 
Ulrich  knew  that  a  man  who  called  a  being  like 
Eugenie  Windeg  his  own  could  not  be  indifferent  to 
her.  Since  that  morning  when  he  had  stood  under 
the  firs  and  gazed  after  the  receding  coach  he  had 
known  what  it  means  to  lose  such  a  being. 

But  in  the  midst  of  this  agony  of  separation  a 
proud  triumph  entered  his  soul.  A  wife  who  loves 
her  husband  does  not  leave  him  when  all  wavers 
and  dissolves  around  him ;  and  she  had  gone  from 
him — had  gone  under  the  protection  of  her  father 
and  brother,  leaving  him  back  alone,  resigning  him 
a  prey  to  all.  This  it  was  which  had  stricken  the 


278  GOOD  LUCK. 

proud  Berkow,  who  was  not  to  be  crushed  by  hatred 
and  threats,  by  the  fear  of  violence  and  insurrection, 
by  ruin  itself.  And  even  though  with  this  calm 
forehead  he  deceived  all  others,  he  could  not  de- 
ceive his  enemy.  The  blow  had  gone  to  his  heart. 

"  I  need  not  tell  you  what  has  happened  of  late," 
began  Arthur :  "  you  are  just  as  well,  even  better 
informed  ihan  I.  The  other  works  have  followed 
your  example.  To  all  appearance  we  are  on  the 
eve  of  a  long  conflict.  Are  you  sure  of  your  com- 
rades ?" 

Ulrich  was  startled  at  the  last  question. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  that,  Herr  Berkow?" 

"  I  was  thinking  whether  we  could  manage  things 
down  here  without  outside  assistance.  It  seems 
they  cannot  at  the  other  mines.  From  the  forges 
they  have  already  called  upon  the  State  for  help. 
You  certainly  know  all  about  the  outbreak  there 
and  can  judge  whether  such  help  is  necessary.  I 
shall  not  resort  to  such  means  unless  in  the  most 
extreme  case,  but  such  a  case  may  occur.  Already 
several  of  my  officers  have  been  insulted,  and  that 
crowd  of  your  men  I  met  the  other  day  in  the  for- 
est were  on  the  point  of  insulting  me.  Make  no 
calculations  upon  my  patience  or  my  weakness. 
Much  as  I  wish  to  avoid  extreme  measures,  I  will 
meet  violence  with  violence." 

At  the  chiefs  first  words  Ulrich  had  glanced  up 
in  sullen  astonishment.  He  had  expected  some- 
thing far  other  than  such  a  declaration,  but  the 
calmness  with  which  it  was  made  robbed  it  of  all 


GOOD  LUCK.  279 

its  defiance  and  compelled  even  the  rival  to  modera- 
tion. There  was  still  a  slight  touch  of  irony  in  his 
voice  as  he  replied : 

"  That  is  nothing  new  to  me.  Violence  against 
violence !  I  knew  from  the  first  that  some  day  it 
would  come  to  this." 

"  And  which  bears  the  blame  if  it  comes  to  this — 
the  resistance  of  the  many  or  the  obstinacy  of  a 
single  man  ?"  asked  Arthur,  looking  him  steadily  in 
the  face. 

"  The  obstinacy  of  a  single  man !  Quite  right, 
Herr  Berkow.  You  know  that  at  the  cost  of  a 
single  word  from  you  your  works  would  all  be  in 
activity  to-morrow." 

"  And  you  know  that  I  cannot  speak  this  word, 
because  it  involves  an  impossibilit}\  It  is  your 
duty  to  yield.  I  pledge  you  my  honor  to  do  all  I 
have  promised." 

"  Really  ?"  cried  the  young  miner,  this  time  with 
a  new  outbreak  of  derision.  "  Is  it  because  the 
whole  province  is  in  rebellion  and  we  have  a  guard 
and  a  support  in  our  comrades?" 

Berkow,  with  a  sudden  movement,  drew  himself 
up  to  his  full  height  and  his  eyes  flashed. 

"  It  is  because  we  shall  compel  you  by  arms  to  re- 
spect that  order  which  you  now  seek  to  tread  under 
your  feet,  and  because  I  would  spare  this  result  to 
my  workmen.  Have  done  with  this  irony,  Hart- 
mann,  in  which  you  yourself  do  not  believe.  "What- 
ever has  happened  between  us  or  may  happen,  I 
think  we  may  each  exculpate  the  other  from  the 
charge  of  cowardice." 


280  GOOD  LUCK. 

There  was  again  that  same  tone  and  glance  as  in 
the  conference  chamber. .  Ulrich,  with  mingled  rage 
and  admiration,  gazed  upon  the  young  chief  who  in 
such  an  hour  dared  thus  speak  to  him,  when  from 
the  scene  in  the  forest  he  must  know  what  was  to 
be  feared  from  such  a  meeting.  His  words  proved 
that  he  did  know  this  perfectly,  and  yet  he  had 
to-day,  of  his  own  free  will,  sought  this  interview. 

The  park  was  quite  deserted ;  no  human  being 
was  to  be  seen  upon  the  meadow  and  the  houses 
lay  far  distant.  None  of  the  officers  would  have 
ventured  upon  a  solitary  meeting  with  Hartmann — 
not  even  the  bold  engineer;  only  the  once-despised 
weakling  dared  this.  Ah,  yes !  from  the  reproach 
of  cowardice  his  rival  had  long  since  absolved  him. 

Arthur  seemed  to  feel  the  impression  he  had 
made.  He  drew  a  step  nearer. 

"  And  do  you  not  see,  Hartmann,  that  by  this 
behavior  you  are  ruining  your  future?"  he  asked 
gravely.  "  You  think,  perhaps,  by  this  last  move- 
ment of  your  comrades  to  make  an  impression  upon 
me.  I  allow  myself  to  be  influenced  by  no  effort  at 
compulsion  ;  rely  upon  that :  but  I  respect  in  you 
powerful  though  misguided  abilities.  They  have 
hitherto  been  employed  only  to  my  injury ;  and  yet 
through  all  1  have  seen  what  they  could  accomplish 
if  not  turned  against  me.  Give  ear  now  to  the 
voice  of  reason ;  content  yourself  with  the  attain- 
ment of  possibilities,  and  I  gladly  offer  you  liberty 
to  remain  upon  my  works  and  a  free  road  to  ad- 
vancement. I  know  what  I  risk  in  this,  in  retain- 


OOOD  LUCK.  281 

ing  an  element  like  you  among  my  workmen  ;  but  I 
will  risk  it  if  my  confidence  can  have  a  like  re- 
turn.*' 

Such  a  proffer  to  a  man  wont  to  consider  all  con- 
cession as  weakness  was,  indeed,  venturesome 
enough  ;  but  Berkow  seemed  not  to  have  reckoned 
upon  this.  Ulrich  did  not  answer;  he  showed  no 
signs  of  compliance ;  but,  for  a  nature  like  his,  it 
was  a  great  concession  not  to  immediate!}7  repel  the 
offer  with  morose  distrust. 

"I  have  hitherto  sought  your  confidence  in  vain," 
continued  Arthur.  "  You  have  to  this  hour  denied 
it  me.  I  came  here  a  stranger  :  if  not  to  the  place 
itself,  to  the  mines  and  to  you  I  was  a  stranger. 
You  met  me  with  a  declaration  of  war,  without 
even  asking  what  I  would  be  willing  to  change  and 
improve.  You  received  and  have  treated  me  as  an 
enemy,  without  even  once  asking  whether  I  would 
be  your  enemy." 

"  We  are  at  war !"  said  Ulrich  curtly.  "  There 
everything  is  fair." 

Arthur  lifted  his  face,  just  before  so  pale,  but  now 
flooded  with  the  flaming  glow  of  the  twilight,  whose 
reflection  shone  around  both. 

"  Must  it,  then,  be  war  between  us  ?  I  do  not 
mean  the  present  quarrel,  which  will  end  sooner  or 
later — I  mean  must  this  secret,  imbittered  warfare, 
this  hardness  and  compulsion  on  the  one  side,  this 
rancor  and  hatred  on  the  other,  keep  endlessly  coil- 
ing and  spinning  on  ?  So  it  has  been  for  years  long. 
I  know  it ;  and  so  it  will  be  again  if  force  compels 


282  GOOD  LUCK. 

you  to  yield.  We  should  make  peace  before  blood 
has  been  shed  on  both  sides.  We  might  now,  since 
nothing  has  as  yet  happened  :  in  a  few  days  it  will 
perhaps  be  too  late." 

With  all  its  calmness,  the  voice  of  the  young  chief 
had  a  pathos  that  was  very  touching ;  and  the  pas- 
sionate emotion  of  Hartmann's  face  betrayed  that 
he  had  not  been  unsusceptible  to  this.  The  haughty 
miner  who,  the  more  he  had  become  accustomed  to 
rule  his  equals,  suffered  all  the  more  from  wounded 
pride  and  a  fear  of  his  superiors  he  could  illy  con- 
ceal, saw  himself  now  placed  upon  an  elevation  no 
one  as  yet  had  granted  him.  He  very  well  knew 
that  Berkow  would  not  have  spoken  in  this  manner 
with  any  other  of  his  underlings,  perhaps  not  even 
with  his  officers  ;  that  for  this  kind  of  treatment  he 
must  thank  his  individuality  alone.  The  chief  spoke 
to  him  as  man  to  man  of  a  matter  upon  which  hung 
the  weal  or  woe  of  both,  and  he  might  have  been 
conquered  had  this  chief  been  any  other  than  Ar- 
thur Berkow.  Ulrich's  was  far  too  lawless  and 
passionate  a  nature  to  be  able  to  do  justice  where 
he  hated  with  his  whole  soul. 

"  To  give  our  confidence  has  been  made  difficult 
enough  for  us,'1  he  said  bitterly.  "  Your  father  has 
for  all  these  years  robbed  us  of  so  much  that  none 
at  all  is  left  for  the  son.  I  believe  you,  Herr  Ber- 
kow, that  your  proffer  does  not  arise  from  fear :  of 
any  other  I  would  not  believe  this;  of  you  I  believe 
it.  But  as  we  both  have  decided  to  help  ourselves, 
I  think  we  will  fight  it  out  to  the  end.  And  one  of 
us  at  the  last  will  be  sure  to  win." 


GOOD  LUCK.  283 

"And  your  comrades?  "Will  they  take  upon 
themselves  all  the  care,  the  want,  the  misery,  this 
fighting  it  out  to  the  last  will  involve  ?" 

"  I  cannot  change  matters.  All  I  have  done  is  for 
them." 

"  No,  it  is  not  done  for  them,"  said  Arthur  firm- 
ly, "  but  solely  for  the  ambition  of  their  leader,  who 
would  win  the  mastery  for  himself  and  then  become 
to  them  a  worse  despot  than  their  late  hated  master 
ever  was.  If  you  still  believe  in  your  so-called  mis- 
sion, Hartmann,  you  cannot  deceive  me  with  it,  now 
that  I  see  you  cast  aside  as  worthless  all  I  hold  my- 
self ready  to  do  for  bettering  the  lot  of  your  com- 
rades. You  refuse  all  my  offers  because  you  wish 
to  attain  a  goal  I  but  too  well  know.  In  the  future 
you  would  dictate  and  'have  me  and  my  officers 
powerless.  Speaking  in  the  name  of  a  blindly  obe- 
dient rabble,  you  would  arrogate  to  yourself  all  the 
rights  of  a  master  and  leave  me  only  with  the  name. 
You  do  not  so  much  wish  the  recognition  of  your 
party  as  the  suppression  of  every  other,  and  that  is 
why  you  stake  all  upon  this  throw.  You  will  lose 
it." 

The  speech  to  such  a  man  was  bold  enough,  and 
Ulrich  trembled  with  rage. 

"  Ah  !  since  you  know  all  so  exactly,  Herr  Ber- 
kow,  well  and  good.  You  are  quite  right :  the 
question  is  not  merely  one  of  higher  wages  and  a 
little  more  safety  in  the  mines.  That  may  be  enough 
for  those  who  are  anxious  for  only  wife  and  children 
and  know  nothing  more  their  whole  life  long.  The 


284  GOOD  LUCK. 

courageous  ones  among  us  seek  more.  We  wiU  have 
the  reins  in  our  hands :  we  will  be  respected  as 
equals.  This  may  be  a  hard  lesson  for  our  sov- 
ereign gentlemen  to  learn,  but  we  are  in  the  way  of 
teaching  it  to  them.  We  at  last  understand  that  it 
is  our  hands  which  win  for  you  that  wealth  of 
which  you  alone  enjoy  the  fruits.  You  have  used 
our  arms  in  slaves'  work  long  enough,  and  now  you 
shall  learn  to  feel  it." 

The  words  were  hurled  forth  with  a  fearful 
violence,  as  if  every  one  of  them  were  in  itself  a 
weapon  to  strike  and  to  kill.  The  whole  immeasur- 
able passion  of  Ulrich  Hartmann  once  more  broke 
forth,  and  the  whole  hatred  he  felt  for  a  class  was 
for  the  moment  directed  against  its  one  represent- 
ative who  stood  before  him. 

Arthur's  position  was  hazardous  in  the  extreme 
as  he  stood  opposite  this  man,  who,  the  veins  of  his 
forehead  swollen  with  rage  and  with  clinched  fists, 
seemed  ready  to  let  deeds  follow  bis  words. 

But  not  even  an  eyelash  trembled ;  not  a  step  did 
Arthur  retreat  from  that  dangerous  nearness.  He 
stood  there  with  that  bearing  of  cold,  proud  repose, 
his  large  eyes  steadily  fixed  upon  his  rival,  as  if 
with  those  eyes  alone  he  had  the  power  to  vanquish 
him. 

"  I  believe,  Hartmann,  you  must  for  the  present 
allow  the  reins  to  remain  in  the  hands  which  are 
accustomed  to  them  and  are  in  a  position  to  rule," 
he  said.  "  That  you  will  soon  learn.  By  brute 
force  you  may  raise  insurrections  and  pull  dow-i 


GOOD  LUCK.  285 

structures,  but  they  cannot  be  built  by  this.  Try  to 
conduct  the  mines  here  with  your  own  hands,  if  to 
those  hands  that  hated  element  be  wanting  which 
gives  direction  to  them,  motive  power  to  the 
machinery,  and  intellect  to  the  work.  And  for  the 
present  that  remains  with  us.  Place  yourself  by 
the  side  of  your  equals,  and  men  will  not  deny  you 
your  rights.  What  you  now  have  to  throw  into 
the  scale,  weapons  alone,  will  never  secure  you 
the  leadership." 

Ulrich  sought  to  answer,  but  passion  choked  his 
voice.  Arthur  glanced  over  to  the  forest  where  the 
twilight  glow  was  fading  away  into  the  darkness 
and  turned  to  go. 

"  If  I  had  before  known  that  every  word  of 
reconciliation  would  be  unavailing,  I  would  not 
have  sought  this  interview.  I  offer  you  peace  and 
liberty  to  remain  upon  the  works.  Perhaps  no 
other  would  have  made  such  a  concession,  and  it 
was  difficult  enough  for  me  to  force  myself  to  it. 
But  you  have  repulsed  even  this  with  scorn  and 
hatred.  You  are  determined  to  be  my  enemy. 
Well,  so  be  it,  then ;  but  take  upon  yourself  the 
responsibility  of  all  that  happens.  I  have  done  my 
best  to  prevent  all  this,  but  in  vain.  However  the 
quarrel  may  end,  we  are  now  done  with  each 
other." 

"  Gluck  auf  !"  cried  Hartmann  morosely.  The 
words  sounded  like  cutting  irony,  as  they  indeed 
were  at  such  a  moment  as  this.  The  young  chief 
seemed  no  longer  to  hear.  He  was  already  some 


283  GOOD  LUCK. 

steps  distant  and  now  went  in  the  direction  of  the 
houses. 

UlHch  remained  behind.  Over  his  head  swayed 
the  willow  branches  as  they  moved  to  and  fro  in  the 
evening  wind  ;  along  the  meadows  crept  a  white 
vapor ;  and  over  the  firs  yonder  burst  a  sudden 
glow,  weird, .  ominous,  and  red  as  blood,  and  then 
faded  slowly  away. 

The  young  man  stared  dumbly  into  the  flaming 
evening  sky.  The  ominous  glow  lay  also  upon  his 
face. 

" '  We  are  done  with  each  other  ?'  Not  yet, 
Herr  Arthur  Berkow  :  we  are  just  beginning !  I 
would  not  confess,  even  to  myself,  the  cowardice 
that  as  yet  has  held  me  back.  I  would  not  venture 
to  attack  him  when  she  was  at  his  side.  Now  the 
path  is  clear :  now  we  will  balance  our  accounts !" 


GOOD  LUCK.  287 


CHAPTER  XYI. 

IN  the  Residence  reigned  all  the  varied  life  and 
activity  of  a  summer's  afternoon.  Throngs  of  idle 
promenaders,  of  business  people  and  workmen,  in  a 
perpetually  changing  tide,  surged  to  and  fro.  There 
was  an  endless  babel  of  voices,  a  rattling  of  cart 
and  carriage  wheels.  From  all  sides  rose  eddying 
clouds  of  dust,  and  the  glowing  beams  of  the  sun, 
already  declining  toward  the  west,  lighted  up  the 
whole  busy,  animated  scene. 

At  a  front  window  of  the  Windeg  house,  which 
stood  upon  one  of  the  principal  streets,  a  young 
lady  had  stationed  herself  and  was  gazing  down 
upon  all  this  commotion,  which  she  had  almost  for- 
gotten in  the  solitude  of  her  wooded  mountains. 

Eugenie  had  returned  to  her  father's  house,  and 
all  its  inmates  seemed  inclined  to  blot  from  memory 
the  brief  period  of  her  married  life.  In  the  family 
circle  this  topic  was  seldom  touched  upon,  and 
then  only  when  they  spoke  of  the  approaching 
divorce.  In  this  respect  the  sons  followed  the  ex- 
ample of  their  father,  who  seemed  resolved  that  a 
dead  oblivion  should  rest  upon  that  event,  while  in 
secret  he  took  the  necessary  steps  the  law  of 


288  GOOD  LUCK. 

divorce  required.    Until  then  the  world  was  not  to 
canvass  the  matter. 

The  servants  and  the  few  acquaintances  at  this 
time  present  in  the  Residence  supposed  that  the 
young  wife  was  making  a  brief  visit  to  her  family,* 
rendered  necessary  by  the  distracted  state  of  affairs 
at  her  husband's  mines. 

Eugenie  again  occupied  the  chamber  which  had 
been  hers  before  her  marriage.  Nothing  in  its 
furniture  or  arrangements  was  changed,  and  as  she 
now  stood  at  the  corner  window,  outside  the  well- 
known  objects  met  her  gaze,  just  as  if  she  had 
never  been  absent.  The  last  three  months  must 
and  should  be  to  her  only  a  sad,  oppressive  dream, 
out  of  which  she  now  awakened  to  the  old  freedom 
of  her  girlhood  years  and  to  a  better  freedom  than 
before ;  for  now  the  grim  phantom  of  anxiety  no 
longer  brooded  threateningly  over  every  step  taken 
by  herself  and  her  family  ;  now  ever}7  new  day  did 
not  bring  new  humiliations  and  new  sacrifices ;  now 
every  hour  of  the  home  life  was  no  longer  haunted 
by  the  fear  that  perhaps  before  the  morrow  financial 
ruin,  with  all  its  terrible  consequences,  would  have 
fallen  upon  them  all.  The  old  race  of  Windeg 
could  again  step  forth  in  the  full  splendor  of  power 
and  wealth.  Whoever  possessed  the  Eabenau  v 
estates  was  rich  enough  to  cover  all  early  losses  and 
secure  for  himself  and  his  a  brilliant  future. 

In  truth,  one  shadow  yet  brooded  over  all  this 
new  sunshine — the  plebeian  name  so  hated  by  the 
baron  and  once  so  hated  by  Eugenie.  But  this 


GOOD  LUCK.  289 

could  only  be  a  question  of  time.  The  beautiful, 
intellectual  girl  had  once,  in  spite  of  the  well-known 
embarrassments  of  her  father,  found  in  her  own 
circle  many  admirers  who  soon  or  late  would  have 
become  wooers.  Eugenie  Windeg  had  been  a  girl 
to  make  a  man  forget  that  he  took  to  his  home  and 
heart  the  daughter  of  an  impoverished,  insolvent 
family. 

Old  Berkow,  with  rough  hand,  had  subverted  all 
the  baron's  plans  for  a  brilliant  alliance  for  his 
daughter  and  wrested  the  prize  for  his  son.  His 
had  been  the  power  to  demand  where  others  must 
sue,  and  he  had  known  how  to  use  it. 

But  now  Eugenie  would  again  be  free.  The 
present  lord  of  Rabenau  could  secure  her  a  rich 
dowry,  and  he  knew  more  than  one  man,  her  equal 
in  birth,  who  would  rejoice,  and  not  from  mercenary 
motives  alone,  to  efface  the  name  and  last  remem- 
brance of  that  unfortunate  alliance,  and  by  a  mar- 
riage worthy  of  her  rank  raise  the  young  baroness 
to  a  position  as  high,  and  even  higher  than  birth 
had  given  her.  Then  the  last  stain  would  be  wiped 
from  the  Windeg  escutcheon  and  it  beam  again  in 
its  ancient  splendor. 

But  the  young  woman  did  not  see  things  in  the 
joyous,  hopeful  light  one  might  have  expected  she 
would,  now  that  the  sun  of  her  fortune  shone  so 
resplendent.  She  had  already  been  some  weeks  in 
her  father's  house,  but  the  color  would  not  return 
to  her  cheeks  nor  her  lips  learn  again  their  olden 
smile.  Here  in  her  own  home,  surrounded  by  the 


290  GOOD  LUCK. 

fondest  love  and  care  of  her  family,  she  remained 
pale  and  silent  as  she  had  ever  been  by  the  side  of 
the  husband  she  had  been  forced  to  wed. 

At  this  very  moment  she  gazed  upon  the  crowd 
below ;  but  not  one  of  these  changing  forms,  in  its 
ebbing  and  flowing  tide,  succeeded  for  a  moment  in 
fettering  her  attention.  She  gazed,  but  it  was  with 
that  vacant,  dreamy  glance  which,  lost  to  the 
nearest  surroundings,  sees  something  entirely  dif- 
ferent and  in  a  different  place.  "  In  your  Residence 
one  unlearns  all,  especially  the  longing  after  his 
woodland  solitudes."  These  words  seemed  not  to 
apply  to  her.  Eugenie  looked  as  if  she  was  filled 
with  a  painful  longing  after  them. 

Before  the  horseback  ride  in  which  the  baron 
usually  indulged  toward  evening  he  was  accustomed 
to  come  to  his  daughter.  He  came  to-day,  but  his 
manner  was  more  grave  than  usual,  and  he  held  a 
paper  in  his  hand. 

"I  must  annoy  you  with  a  business  matter,  my 
child,"  he  began  after  a  brief  salutation.  "  I  have 
just  had  a  conference  with  our  lawyer,  which  has 
proved  satisfactory  beyond  my  expectation.  Ber- 
kow's  attorney  is  endowed  with  full  power  to  meet 
all  our  wishes ;  both  legal  gentlemen  have  already 
agreed  upon  the  necessary  steps;  and  the  whole 
matter  will  probably  be  adjusted  far  more  quickly 
and  easily  than  we  ventured  to  hope.  Will  you 
please  sign  your  name  to  this  paper?" 

He  reached  her  the  paper.  Eugenie  made  a 
movement  as  if  to  snatck  it  from  him,  but  all  at 
once  her  hand  fell. 


GOOD  LTJCK.  291 

"What  am  I  to  do?" 

"  Simply  to  affix  your  name  to  this  paper,  nothing 
more !"  said  the  baron  coolly  as  he  placed  the  sheet 
on  the  writing-table  and  moved  her  a  chair.  Euge- 
nie hesitated. 

"  It  is  a  legal  document.  Must  I  not  first  read 
it?" 

Windeg  smiled  faintly. 

"  If  it  had  been  an  important  document  we  should, 
of  course,  have  laid  it  before  you  for  inspection,"  he 
said  ;  "  but  it  is  only  the  petition  for  divorce,  which 
the  judge  is  to  present  in  your  name  and  to  which 
he  needs  your  signature — a  mere  formality  in  the 
conduct  of  the  case.  The  details  will  follow  here- 
after. But  if  you  wish  to  know  the  wording  of 
this *' 

"  No,  no !"  interrupted  the  young  woman  evasive- 
ly. "  I  do  not  wish  that.  I  will  sign  the  paper, 
but  it  need  not  be  just  at  this  moment.  Just  now  I 
am  not  in  the  mood  for  it." 

The  baron  looked  very  much  surprised. 

11  Mood?  Nothing  is  needed  here  but  your 
signature.  It  will  take  but  a  moment,  and  I  have 
promised  our  attorney  to  send  him  the  paper  to- 
day, as  he  intends  to  present  it  to-morrow." 

"  Well,  then,  this  evening  I  will  bring  it  to  you 
with  my  signature.  But  not  at  this  moment.  I 
cannot  sign  it  now." 

The  tone  of  the  young  woman's  voice  was 
singularly  plaintive,  almost  agonized.  The  father 
shook  his  head  as  if  in  displeasure. 


292  GOOD  LUCK. 

"This  is  a  strange  whim,  Eugenie,"  he  said,  "one 
which  I  do  not  at  all  understand.  Why  will  you 
not  just  now,  here  in  my  presence,  make  this  simple 
stroke  of  the  pen  ?  But  if  you  insist  upon  the  delay, 
I  rely  upon  your  handing  me  back  the  document  at 
tea  this  evening.  There  will  then  be  time  enough 
to  send  it  away." 

He  did  not  remark  his  daughter's  deep  sigh  of 
relief  at  these  last  words.  He  stepped  to  the  win- 
dow and  gazed  down  the  street. 

"Will  Curt  not  come  to  me?"  asked  Eugenie 
after  a  moment's  pause.  "  I  have  seen  him  only 
once  to-day,  at  the  dinner-table." 

"  He  must  be  weary  from  his  journey  and  is  per- 
haps taking  some  rest.  Ah,  there  you  are,  Curt, 
just  as  we  were  speaking  of  you !" 

The  young  baron,  who  entered  at  this  moment, 
must  have  reckoned  upon  finding  his  sister  alone, 
for  he  said  with  evident  and  not  quite  gratified 
surprise : 

"  You  here,  papa  ?  I  thought  you  were  having  a 
conference  up  in  the  library  with  our  lawyer." 

"  Our  conference  is  at  an  end,  as  you  see,"  replied 
the  baron. 

Curt  seemed  to  wish  that  the  conference  had  been 
longer.  Meantime  he  made  no  reply,  but  went  to 
his  sister  and  confidentially  sat  down  by  her  side. 
Only  to-day  noon  he  had  come  unexpectedly  from 
the  province.  It  was  a  singular  and,  in  the  baron's 
opinion,  an  unfortunate  circumstance  that  the  regi- 
ment to  which  his  eldest  son  belonged  had  just 


GOOD  LUCK.  293 

been  stationed  in  the  town  which  lay  nearest  to  the 
Berkow  estates,  just  now,  when  his  family  had 
broken  off  all  relations  there. 

It  would  be  useless  to  request  a  long  furlough  for 
the  young  officer,  as  the  riot  just  broken  out  among 
the  miners  had  thrown  the  whole  province  into 
commotion.  It  was  expected  that  the  military 
would  be  called  upon  to  quell  the  disturbance,  and 
so  Curt  could  not  be  spared  for  the  present.  He 
had  gone  to  his  new  garrison,  where,  of  course,  Ber- 
kow was  well  known,  with  an  express  command 
from  his  father  to  be  silent  respecting  the  divorce. 
The  baron  held  firmly  to  his  first  conclusion,  to 
take  the  preliminary  steps  in  secret,  as  he  must  the 
final  ones  in  the  face  of  the  world ;  and  he  natural- 
ly supposed  that  his  son  would  as  much  as  possible 
avoid  all  personal  relations  with  his  brother-in-law. 

He  seemed  to  have  been  right  in  this  supposition. 
Arthur's  name  was  never  mentioned  in  Curt's  let- 
ters, and  only  casual  intelligence  had  been  received 

v  O 

as  to  how  matters  stood  upon  the  Berkow  estates, 
until  Curt,  in  a  military  capacity,  was  ordered  to 
the  Kesidence.  Curt  had  been  at  home  but  a  few 
hours,  and  at  dinner  the  presence  of  guests  had 
thrown  a  restraint  upon  the  family  ;  but  now,  when 
from  his  having  just  asked  Eugenie's  signature  to 
the  petition  for  divorce  this  usually  forbidden  topic 
was  uppermost  in  the  baron's  mind,  with  an  indif- 
ference one  might  show  in  relation  to  the  aifairs  of 
the  most  distant  acquaintance,  he  asked  how  mat- 
ters stood  upon  the  Berkow  estates. 


294  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Badly,  papa,  very  badly  !"  replied  Curt,  turning 
to  his  father,  but  not  relinquishing  his  place  near 
Eugenie.  "  Arthur  manfully  resists  the  ruin  which 
threatens  him  from  all  sides,  but  I  fear  he  must  at 
last  yield.  It  is  tenfold  worse  with  him  than  with 
his  colleagues  at  the  other  mines.  He  must  now 
atone  for  all  the  sins  his  father  committed  in  twenty 
years  of  tyranny  and  dishonesty,  as  well  as  bear 
the  result  of  his  senseless  speculations  during  these 
later  years.  I  do  not  understand  how  he  has  so 
long  held  his  own  in  the  conflict.  Any  other  man 
would  have  been  vanquished  long  ago." 

"  If  the  outbreak  is  getting  beyond  his  mastery, 
I  wonder  that  he  does  not  summon  military  aid," 
said  the  baron  rather  coolly. 

"  That  is  the  very  point  on  which  he  will  not 
listen  to  reason.  I" — here  all  the  aristocratic 
imperiousness  of  the  young  heir  of  Windeg  broke 
out — "I  would  long  ago  have  had  those  fellows  shot 
down  and  have  forced  the  rebels  to  submission. 
They  have  given  provocation  enough  for  it,  and  if 
their  leader  continues  to  goad  them  on,  as  he  is  now 
doing,  they  will  the  next  thing  burn  Arthur's  house 
over  his  head ;  but  all  this  does  not  influence  him. 
'No,  and  no  again,'  he  says;  'so  long  as  I  can 
defend  myself  no  stranger  force  sets  foot  in  my 
works.'  Neither  arguments  nor  entreaties  move 
him.  And  to  confess  the  truth,  papa,  we  in  our 
regiment  are  very  glad  our  help  is  not  likely  to  be 
asked.  During  the  last  few  weeks  we  have  been 
obliged  to  lend  it  only  too  often.  It  was  not  half 


GOOD  LUCK.  295 

so  bad  at  the  other  mines  as  at  Berkow's ;  but  still, 
at  the  very  first  their  owners  and  officers  placed 
themselves  on  a  war  footing  with  their  own  work- 
men and  demanded  military  aid.  Harrowing  and 
violent  scenes  have  taken  place,  and  we  soldiers 
have  been  compelled  to  extreme  measures.  It  is 
best  not  to  resort  to  violence  when  it  can  in  any 
•way  be  avoided ;  and  still,  on  the  other  hand,  a 
master  should  not  give  up  his  authority  and  let 
things  go  as  they  will,  for  he  must  be  responsible 
for  all  that  happens.  Our  colonel  and  officers  have 
a  high  respect  for  Arthur,  because  he  has  thus  far 
kept  even  with  his  rebels ;  and  1  think  he  will  keep 
even  with  them,  although  things  with  him  now  are 
as  bad  as  possible." 

Breathlessly  intent,  Eugenie  had  listened  to  her 
brother,  who  seemed  to  believe  her  quite  uncon- 
cerned in  the  matter,  for  his  recital  had  been  ad- 
dressed to  his  father.  But  the  baron,  who  with 
ever-increasing  displeasure  had  remarked  .the  term 
"Arthur"  his  son  had  repeatedly  employed,  said 
now  in  a  tone  of  cold  rebuke  : 

"You  and  your  comrades  seem  to  be  very 
minutely  informed  of  all  Herr  Berkow's  affairs." 

"Why,  they  are  the  talk  of  the  whole  town  !"  re- 
plied Curt  naively.  "  As  for  myself,  I  have  been 
over  to  Arthur's  pretty  often." 

The  baron  sprang  from  his  chair  at  this  con- 
fession. 

"  You  have  visited  him  at  his  estates  ?  and  that 
very  often  2" 


296  GOOD  LUCK., 

Whether  the  young  officer  had  or  had  not  re- 
marked the  emotion  visible  in  Eugenie's  face  at  his 
last  words,  he  clasped  her  hand  more  firmly,  and 
retaining  his  ingenuous  tone  answered : 

"  Well,  yes,  papa.  You  commanded  me  to  be 
silent  in  regard  to  certain  matters,  and  I  might 
have  been  if  in  his  present  situation  I  could  have 
fully  ignored  my  brother-in-law.  The  driving  out 
there  was  not  forbidden  me." 

"  Because  I  believed  your  own  sense  of  propriety 
would  have  forbidden  such  a  thing !"  cried  Baron 
Windeg  in  a  towering  rage.  "  I  assumed  that  you 
would  shun  all  intimacy  with  Berkow,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  you  have  really  sought  his  society,  as  it 
appears,  without  even  writing  me  a  word  about  it. 
Really,  Curt,  this  is  past  endurance." 

Curt,  to  tell  the  truth,  had  feared  a  direct  prohi- 
bition from  his  father  and  had  therefore  chosen  to 
be  silent  concerning  his  visits  to  Arthur.  He  had 
usually  a  great  awe  of  his  father's  angry  moods, 
but  to  day  Eugenie's  presence  seemed  to  counter- 
balance this  awe.  His  eyes  met  hers,  and  what  he 
saw  there  must  have  enabled  him  to  bear  the  pa- 
ternal displeasure,  for  he  quite  unconcernedly  re- 
plied : 

"  Really,  papa,  I  do  not  know  why  I  have  grown 
so  attached  to  Arthur.  You  would  have  become  so 
had  you  been  in  my  place.  He  would  be  the  most 
fascinating  and  amiable  of  men  if  he  was  not,  just 
now,  so  terribly  in  earnest ;  but  this  earnestness 
really  becomes  him  excellently  well.  Yesterday, 


GOOD  LUCK'.  297 

as  we  parted,  I  said  to  him, ;  Arthur,  if  I  had  earlier 
thus  known  thee 

"  Thee !"  interrupted  the  baron  with  his  sharpest 
emphasis. 

The  young  officer  scornfully  threw  back  his  head. 

"  Ah,  yes !  we  are  thee  and  thou  to  each  other.* 
I  begged  him  to  call  me  so,  and  I  do  not  see  why 
we  should  not  make  use  of  that  familiar  pronoun. 
He  is  my  brother-in-law." 

"This  brother-in-law  ship  must  end,"  said  the 
baron  coldly  as  he  pointed  to  the  writing-table. 
"  There  lies  the  petition  for  divorce." 

Curt  threw  a  none  too  tender  glance  upon  the 
designated  sheet. 

"Ah,  yes,  the  divorce  petition!  Has  Eugenie 
already  signed  it  ?" 

"  She  is  just  about  to  do  so." 

The  young  man  looked  at  his  sister,  whose  hand 
now  trembled  in  his  and  whose  lips  quivered  with 
an  anguish  she  could  scarce  repress. 

"Well,  papa,  I  thought  that  upon  that  point 
Arthur  had  so  borne  himself  as  to  disarm  all  re- 
proach and  bitterness.  It  would  be  small  in  us  now 
not  to  allow  full  justice  to  be  rendered  him.  I 
could  never  have  believed  that  a  man  of  such  energy 
could  rise  up  out  of  such  indolence  as  I  have  seen 
in  him.  One  must  see,  in  order  to  believe  it,  all 
that  he  has  done  in  the  last  few  weeks  by  being 

*  Among  the  Germans  "  thee"  and  "  thou  "  are  terms  of 
familiarity,  used  only  among  relatives  and  intimate  friends 


298  GOOD  LUCK. 

everywhere  and  attending  to  everything  at  the 
right  time.  What  terrible  scenes  and  conflicts  he 
has  averted — he  alone  in  the  midst  of  a  rebellious 
mob,  merely  through  the  power  of  his  individuality. 
He  has  all  at  once  become  a  hero — the  colonel  and 
his  comrades,  the  whole  town  say  that.  His  officers 
all  conduct  themselves  excellently,  because  he  leads 
them  everywhere,  and  not  a  single  one  has  left  the 
works.  But  when  I  came  away  things  seemed  to 
have  come  to  a  most  desperate  pass.  It  is  very  un- 
fortunate that  Arthur  is  so  determined  to  have  no 
outside  force  step  between  him  and  his  miners,  and 
that  he  persists  in  this  determination  with  all  the 
strength  of  his  iron  will.  1  believe  that  if  things 
come  to  the  worst  he  and  his  officers  will  intrench 
themselves  in  the  house  and  there  fight  till  the  last 
man  falls  before  he  will  call  on  us  for  help.  That 
would  be  just  like  him." 

Here  Eugenie  snatched  her  hand  from  her 
brother's  and,  rising  suddenly,  went  to  the  window. 
The  baron  also  rose  with  an  expression  of  lively 
displeasure. 

"  I  do  not  know,  Curt,"  he  said,  "  why  you  feel 
called  upon  to  answer  a  simple  question  as  to  the 
position  of  affairs  upon  Berkow's  estate  with  such 
extravagant  praises  of  him.  It  shows  a  want  of 
consideration  for  your  sister,  which  I  should  least 
of  all  have  imputed  to  you,  who  have  always 
seemed  to  love  her  with  such  especial  tenderness.  I 
leave  it  to  yourself  to  determine  what,  under  exist- 
ing circumstances,  you  will  do  with  your  eccentric 


GOOD  LUCK.  299 

admiration  for  this  man,  which  you  seem  to  have 
so  openly  displayed  in  your  garrison.  For  the  pres- 
ent, I  beg  that  our  conversation  may  end.  You  see 
how  painfully  it  has  affected  Eugenie.  You  will 
now  ride  out  with  me." 

"Let  Curt  remain  here  just  a  few  moments, 
papa,"  pleaded  Eugenie  in  a  low  voice.  "  I  would 
like  to  ask  him  something." 

The  baron  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Very  well,"  he  said  ;  "  but  I  hope  he  will  at 
least  have  the  goodness  not  to  allude  again  to  this 
subject,  which  has  so  painfully  excited  you.  In  ten 
minutes  the  horses  will  be  in  readiness.  Curt,  I 
shall  then  positively  expect  you." 

The  door  had  scarce  closed  when  the  young  offi- 
cer hastened  to  join  his  sister  at  the  window,  and 
with  uncontrollable,  though  somewhat  violent,  ten- 
derness placed  his  arm  around  her. 

"  Are  you,  too,  angry  with  me,  Eugenie  ?"  he 
asked.  u  Was  I  really  inconsiderate  ?" 

The  young  woman,  with  passionate  intentness, 
raised  her  eyes  to  him. 

"  You  have  been  with  Arthur — you  have  often 
spoken  with  him.  Only  yesterday  at  your  depar- 
ture you  saw  him.  Did  he  send  no  message  at  all 
by  you  ?" 

Curt  cast  down  his  eyes. 

"  He  sent  his  compliments  to  you  and  papa,"  he 
said  somewhat  hesitatingly. 

**  In  what  way  8     What  did  he  say  to  you  ?" 

"  He  hurried  after  me  when  I  had  already  taken 


300  GOOD  LUCK. 

my  seat  in  the  carriage.     '  Give  my  compliments  to 
the  Herr  Baron  and  to  your  sister,'  he  said." 

"  And  that  was  all  ?" 

"All." 

Eugenie  turned  away.  She  would  not  have  her 
brother  see  the  deep  disappointment  portrayed  in 
her  features,  but  Curt  held  her  fast.  He  had  the 
beautiful  dark  eyes  of  his  sister,  only  their  expres- 
sion was  more  lively  and  joyous  ;  but  at  this  mo- 
ment as  he  bent  low  down  to  her  this  had  all  van- 
ished before  his  unwonted  gravity. 

"  You  certainly  must  at  one  time  have  wounded 
him  very  deeply,  Eugenie,  and  in  a  way  he  can 
never  forget.  I  would  so  gladly  have  brought  you 
a  line,  a  parting  word ;  but  that  was  not  to  be  ob- 
tained from  him.  He  would  never  answer  when  I 
spoke  your  name,  but  overy  time  he  became  deadly 
pale  and  turned  away  and  almost  peremptorily 
passed  to  another  subject,  so  as  only  to  hear  noth- 
ing more  of  this,  just  as  you  used  to  do  when  I 
spoke  to  you  of  him.  My  God  !  does  he  really  hate 
you  so  much  ?" 

Eugenie,  with  a  passionate  gesture,  broke  loose 
from  his  arms. 

l'  Leave  me,  Curt,  for  God's  sake,  leave  me !"  she 
cried.  "  I  can  bear  it  no  longer." 

An  expression,*half-triumph,  flitted  over  the  young 
officer's  face,  and  there  was  a  tone  almost  of  sup- 
pressed exultation  in  his  voice. 

"  Well,  I  will  not  intrude  into  your  secrets,"  he 
said.  "  1  must  now  go.  Papa  will  be  impatient : 


GOOD  LUCK  301 

he  is  already  in  such  a  bad  humor.  I  suppose  I 
ought  to  leave  you  alone  now,  Eugenie.  You  still 
have  to  sign  the  divorce  petition.  When  we  return 
you  will  perhaps  have  done  so.  Good-by." 

He  hurried  away.  The  horses  stood  waiting 
down  in  the  court,  and  the  baron  was  looking  im- 
patiently up  to  the  window.  The  horseback  ride 
this  afternoon  was  not  the  pleasantest,  for  the  baron 
was  in  ill-humor  and  vented  his  displeasure  upon  his 
sons.  He  could  not  endure  that  any  one  bearing 
the  name  of  Berkow  should  be  praised  in  his  pres- 
ence, and  as  he  naturally  presupposed  the  same 
thing  in  regard  to  his  daughter,  he  felt  that  both 
himself  and  she  had  reason  to  be  offended ;  and 
Curt  had  to  hear  quite  a  lecture  upon  his  want  of 
tact  and  consideration. 

But  Curt  took  the  lecture  very  calmly,  not  ap- 
pearing to  feel  the  slightest  remorse :  on  the  con- 
trary, he  manifested  a  lively  interest  in  the  ride, 
and  even  more  in  its  duration.  It  was  so  long  since 
he  had  been  in  the  Residence ;  he  found  the  very 
animated  promenades  so  entertaining  ;  and  he  suc- 
ceeded in  so  prolonging  the  excursion  that  it  was 
nearly  dark  when  the  four  gentlemen  returned  to 
the  city. 

Eugenie,  meantime,  had  remained  quite  alone. 
The  door  of  her  room  was  closed  :  she  could  not  and 
would  not  now  suffer  any  intrusion.  The  walls  of 
her  chamber  and  the  old  family  pictures  which 
adorned  them  had  witnessed  many  tears,  many  bit- 
ter hours,  at  that  time  when  preparations  were 


302  GOOD  LUCK. 

making  for  the  young  girl's  marriage,  but  yet  none 
so  bitter  as  to-day  ;  for  to-day  it  was  a  struggle  with 
her  very  self,  and  the  enemy  was  not  very  easy  to 
conquer. 

There  upon  the  writing-table  lay  the  paper  in 
which  a  wife  demanded  legal  separation  from  her 
husband  ;  only  the  signature  to  it  was  wanting. 
When  the  signature  was  affixed  the  divorce  was 
consummated,  for  the  husband's  consent,  as  well  as 
the  position  and  influence  of  the  baron,  insured  to 
the  affair  a  speedy  and  prosperous  issue. 

Just  before,  in  her  father's  presence,  she  had 
hesitated  about  making  that  momentous  pen-stroke  ; 
but  now  it  must  be  done.  What  did  it  help — this 
single  hour's  delay  ?  It  was  all  the  same  whether 
the  irrevocable  happened  soon  or  late.  But  just  at 
this  hour  Curt  had  come,  and  with  his  story  had 
torn  open  the  wound  which  had  in  truth  never  yet 
ceased  to  bleed. 

And  still  her  brother  could  not  bring  with  him  a 
word,  not  even  a  greeting.  "  Give  my  cgmpliments 
to  the  baron  and  your  sister."  This  was  all.  Why 
not  have  said,  "  My  compliments  to  her  ladyship?" 
This  would  have  been  still  more  icy,  still  more 
formal.  Eugenie  stepped  to  her  writing-table,  and 
her  eyes  wandered  over  the  words  of  the  document. 
All  there  was  so  cold,  so  formal,  and  still  these  few 
brief  words  decided  the  future  of  two  beings. 

But  Arthur  had  willed  all  this.  He  it  was  who 
had  first  spoken  the  word  of  separation  ;  he  who 
had  first  and  ruthlessly  assented  to  hastening  the 


GOOD  LUCK  303 

decree  ;  and  when  she  had  gone  to  him  and  declared 
herself  ready  to  remain,  he  had  turned  coldly  away 
and  bidden  her  go. 

As  she  thought  of  this  the  blood  again  mounted 
to  her  temples  and  her  hand  reached  after  the  pen. 
She  was  still  woman  enough  to  know  what  this  sig- 
nature meant  for  him  had  he  been  the  one  obliged 
to  set  it  there :  she  well  knew  how  to  interpret 
those  glances  when  in  unguarded  moments  he  had 
betrayed  himself.  But  to  the  last  moment  he  had 
remained  conqueror  over  this  weakness,  and  he 
would  not  understand  the  hint  by  which  she  had 
signified  to  him  the  possibility  of  a  reconciliation. 
He  had  set  pride  against  pride,  scorn  against  scorn, 
for  all  which  he  must  now  suffer ;  but  she  must 
suffer  tenfold  more.  Better  make  two  beings  mis- 
erable than  confess  that  one  had  done  the  other 
wrong. 

The  demon  of  pride  again  asserted  itself  in  her 
soul  with  all  its  fatal  might.  How  often  had  it  ob- 
stinately kept  the  field  in  defiance  of  every  better 
emotion,  although  seldom  in  blessing  for  herself  or 
others.  But  to-day  with  its  voice  blended  still  an- 
other, "  Arthur  manfully  seeks  to  stay  the  tide  of 
ruin  which  threatens  him  from  all  sides,  but  I  fear 
he  must  yield  at  last." 

And  if  he  did  yield  vanquished  he  was  vanquished 
alone — alone  as  he  had  stood  during  the  whole 
struggle.  He  had  no  friend,  no  relative — not  a 
single  one.  However  loyal  his  officers  might  be  to 
him,  however  much  his  friends  might  now  admire 


304  GOOD  LUCK 

him,  no  one  loved  him  ;  and  the  wife,  whose  place 
was  at  his  side — she  was  at  this  moment  to  sign  the 
paper  demanding  immediate  separation  from  the 
husband  she  had  already  forsaken  and  who  now 
day  by  day  wrestled  with  ruin.  Eugenie  let  the 
paper  fall  and  stepped  back  from  the  writing-table. 
What,  then,  upon  the  whole,  had  been  Arthur's 
fault?  He  had  shown  himself  neglectful,  indiffer- 
ent to  the  wife  who,  he  believed,  had  been  enticed 
by  his  wealth  alone  to  a  marriage  of  convenience  ; 
and  when  this  wife  had  made  known  to  him  the 
real,  impelling  motive  of  her  marriage,  she  had 
treated  him  with  a  contempt  no  man  could  bear 
while  a  spark  of  manhood  remained  in  his  breast. 
Here,  too,  he  was  forced  to  expiate  his  father's  sins ; 
and  in  his  brief  wedded  life  he  had  richly  expiated 
them. 

Since  that  conversation  Eugenie's  life  had  been  a 
blank  :  her  husband,  cold  and  reticent,  had  isolated 
himself  from  her.  What  had  those  days  brought 
to  him? 

Eugenie  best  knew  the  true  significance  of  that 
life  during  those  three  months,  in  which  the  casual 
observer  would  have  seen  only  a  calm,  superficial 
indifference.  But  this  indifference  had  carried  with 
it  a  perpetual  sting — enough  to  drive  a  man  to  ex- 
tremities. One  can  insult  another  with  every  breath 
and  every  glance,  and  she  had  done  this. 

With  all  the  arrogance  of  her  birth  and  her  posi- 
tion she  had  sought  to  force  him  back  into  the  noth- 
ingness and  pitiableness  where  in  her  opinion  he 


GOOD  LUCK.  305 

belonged.  Day  after  day  she  had  used  her  weap- 
ons, and  used  them  only  the  more  recklessly  when 
she  saw  that  they  wounded.  She  had  made  his 
home  a  hell,  his  marriage  a  curse,  in  order  to  avenge 
herself  on  him  for  his  father's  dishonorable  dealings 
with  her  family.  She  had  designedly  goaded  him 
on  until  he  had  at  last  demanded  a  divorce  be- 
cause he  could  no  longer  endure  this  life  at  her  side. 
If  he  now  rose  in  his  might  and  thrust  from  him 
the  band  which  had  so  often  tortured  and  torment- 
ed him,  who  was  to  blame  ? 

The  young  woman  sprang  from  the  chair  on 
which  she  had  thrown  herself  and  in  terrible  excite- 
ment paced  up  and  down  as  if  to  flee  from  her  own 
thoughts.  She  knew  only  too  well  what  they 
sought — to  what  they  would  drive  her.  There  was 
only  one  step  which  could  help  and  rescue  her,  and 
that  was  impossible  for  her  to  take. 

And  supposing  she  made  that  giant  sacrifice  of 
all  her  pride  and  it  was  not  accepted  fully  and  en- 
tirely as  she  gave  it  ?  Might  she  not  have  deceived 
herself  ?  Might  she  not  have  read  falsely  in  those 
eyes  which  had  never  but  for  a  moment,  and  then 
unwitting!}'-,  been  unveiled  to  her?  Supposing  that 
glance  should  again  meet  her — that  icy  glance  with 
which  he  had  asked  after  her  right  to  do  what 
every  other  wife  assumes  as  a  sacred  duty  ?  Sup- 
posing he  should  again  say  to  her  that  he  would 
stand  and  fall  alone  and  for  the  second  time  bid  her 
go  ?  Never — no,  never  !  Rather  endure  the  sepa- 
ration, rather  take  upon  herself  a  life  full  of  misery 
and  torture  than  the  possibility  of  such  humiliation ! 


306  GOOD  LUCK. 

The  evening  sun,  whose  reflection  still  gilded  the 
distant  tree-tops,  had  long  since  set :  the  twilight 
was  falling,  but  it  brought  no  coolness  or  quiet  to 
the  hot,  crowded  streets.  On  the  sultry  evening  air 
outside  was  borne  a  continuous  hum  of  voices  and 
echo  of  footsteps  and  roll  of  carriage- wheels.  The 
human  tide  ebbed  and  flowed  unceasingly,  and  its 
loud,  bewildering  murmurs  rose  to  the  window 
where  Eugenie  stood.  But  amid  all  these  d  iscordant 
sounds  there  toned  in  her  ear  another  voice — at  first 
only  distant  and  indistinct ;  then  ever  nearer,  ever 
louder. 

Did  it  come  from  the  green  wooded  mountains  ? 
Had  it  fought  its  way  through  the  eternal  surgings 
of  the  city's  tumultuous  waves  hither  to  this  young 
wife?  What  it  was  she  did  not  know;  but  it 
sounded  like  the  swaying  of  fir  boughs,  like  the 
murmur  of  the  forest  with  its  mysterious  accords  ; 
and  with  it  there  arose  within  her  soul  the  whole 
sweet  yet  bitter  woe  of  those  minutes  lived  under 
the  firs.  Again  the  fog  rose  and  fell,  and  the  storm 
roared,  and  the  brook  dashed  madly  on  ;  and  from 
out  of  that  gray  veil  rose  clearly  and  distinctly  the 
one  form  which  ever  since,  in  waking  or  dreaming, 
had  never  been  absent  from  her  side.  And  those 
large  brown  eyes  gazed  upon  her  gravely  and 
reproachfully. 

Whoever  has  fought  through  a  conflict  where  all 
the  soul's  strength  was  strained  to  the  utmost  in 
wrestling  against  some  ever-growing  decision  knows 
such  memories,  which  come  all  at  once,  without  any 


GOOD  LUCK.  307 

outside  connection  or  incitement,  but  with  an 
almightiness  which  nothing  can  withstand. 

Such  memories  Eugenie  now  felt  hovering  around 
her :  one  weapon  after  another  was  wrested  from 
her  hand,  until  at  last  nothing  remained — nothing 
but  the  spell  of  that  hour  in  which  she  had  first 
felt  that  hatred  was  at  an  end,  that  some  new  sen- 
timent had  awakened  in  its  place — a  sentiment 
against  which  she  had  waged  a  life-and-death  con- 
flict, but  which  had  at  last  conquered. 

There-  was  one  last  brief  struggle  between  the  old 
demon  of  bitter,  relentless  pride,  which  could  not 
forget  the  rebuff  it  had  once  received,  and  the 
woman's  heart,  which,  in  spite  of  all,  knew  itself 
beloved.  This  time  the  forest  voices  had  not 
spoken  in  vain :  they  had  won  the  final  victory. 
The  sheet  which  was  to  separate  two  beings  who 
had  sworn  eternally  to  belong  to  each  other  lay 
torn  in  two  upon  the  floor,  and  the  young  wife  was 
upon  her  knees,  her  uplifted  face  bathed  in  scalding 
tears. 

"  I  cannot,"  she  cried — "  I  cannot  do  this  wrong 
to  him  and  me  !  It  alike  concerns  us  both.  Come 
what  will,  Arthur,  I  remain  with  you  !" 

"  Where  is  Eugenie  ?"  asked  the  baron  as  an 
hour  lated  he  joined  his  sons  in  the  lighted  parlors. 
"  Has  any  one  informed  her  ladyship  that  we  are 
waiting  for  her  ?''  he  added,  turning  to  the  servant 
who  had  just  arranged  the  tea-table  and  was  about 
to  leave  the  room. 

Curt  anticipated  the  answer. 


308  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Eugenie  is  not  at  home,  papa,''  he  said,  motion- 
ing to  the  servant  to  withdraw. 

"  Not  at  home  !"  repeated  the  baron  in  astonish- 
ment. "  Has  she  driven  out  at  this  late  hour  ?  and 
where  ?" 

"That  I  cannot  tell  you,"  replied  Curt.  "  Imme- 
diately upon  dismounting  from  my  horse  I  went  up 
to  her  room.  She  was  not  there,  but  I  found  this 
on  the  floor." 

He  drew  forth  a  paper,  and  a  peculiar  smile 
played  around  his  lips  as,  with  great  apparent 
gravity,  he  proceeded  to  fit  the  two  halves  of  the 
sheet  together,  so  as  to  lay  it  before  his  father,  who 
looked  on  without  the  least  suspicion. 

*'  This  is  our  attorney's  draft  of  the  divorce 
petition  which  I  handed  to  Eugenie  for  her  signa- 
ture," said  the  baron ;  "  but  the  signature  is  still 
wanting,  I  see." 

"  No,  the  thing  is  not  signed,"  said  Curt  with  the 
most  innocent  air  in  the  world  ;  "  but  it  is  torn  in 
two.  How  strange  !  Just  look  here,  papa !" 
/  "  "What  does  this  mean  ?"  asked  Windeg  in  the 
greatest  astonishment.  "  Where  can  Eugenie  be  ? 
I  will  ask  the  servants.  If  she  has  driven  out  they 
must  know  when  the  carriage  was  ordered." 

He  was  about  to  place  his  hand  upon  the  bell, 
when  Curt  said  quietly  : 

"  I  believe  she  has  gone  to  her  husband." 

"  Are  you  out  of  your  senses,  Curt  ?"  exclaimed 
the  baron.  "  Eugenie  gone  to  her  husband  !" 

"  Well,  I  can  only  suppose  so ;  but  we  can  very 


GOOD  LUCK.  309 

easily  determine,  for  upon  her  writing-desk  lay  this 
note  addressed  to  you.  Here  it  is,  and  it  must  con- 
tain the  desired  information." 

Baron  Windeg  tore  off  the  envelope,  and  in  his 
haste  did  not  remark  that  Curt,  with  a  shocking 
disregard  of  etiquette,  stepped  behind  him  and  read 
the  note  over  his  shoulder.  As  he  read,  the  young 
officer's  features  showed  such  undisguised  triumph 
that  his  two  younger  brothers,  who  understood 
nothing  of  the  scene,  glanced  inquiringly  first  at 
him  and  then  at  their  father. 

The  note  contained  only  a  few  lines  : 
I. 

"  I  am  going  to  my  husband.  Forgive  me,  papa, 
for  this  sudden  and  secret  departure,  but  I  do  not 
wish  to  lose  an  hour  and  I  cannot  wait  to  encounter 
your  opposition,  which  could  not  move  me,  for  my 
resolution  is  fixed.  Take  no  further  steps  in  the 
divorce  business :  recall  those  already  taken.  I 
refuse  my  consent  to  them.  I  will  not  leave 
Arthur !  EUGENIE." 

"Was  such  a  thing  ever  heard  of ?"  broke  out 
the  baron  as  he  let  the  note  fall  on  the  floor.  "  A 
defiance  of  my  wishes,  a  deliberate  flight  out  of  my 
house,  and  that  my  own  daughter  offers  me !  She 
thus  breaks  loose  from  my  protection,  from  my 
plans  and  hopes  for  her  future,  and  returns  to  this 
Berkow.  Xow  when  he  is  on  the  verge  of  ruin, 
when  his  workmen  are  in  rebellion  and  anarchy 
reigns  upon  his  estates,  she  goes  to  him !  "Why, 
such  a  proceeding  borders  upon  madness  !  \  must 


310  GOOD  LUCK. 

know  what  has  brought  it  about ;  but  first  I  must 
frustrate  this  senseless  conclusion  while  there  is  yet 
time.  I  will  this  moment — 

"  The  express  train  to  R —  -  has  been  gone  an 
hour,"  interrupted  Curt  laconically.  "  The  car- 
riage, too,  seems  to  have  just  returned  from  the 
station.  In  any  event,  it  is  too  late." 

In  fact,  they  at  this  very  moment  heard  the  car- 
riage in  which  the  young  woman  must  have  gone 
drive  into  the  portal  below.  The  baron  saw  that 
it  was  indeed  too  late,  and  turned  the  full  tide  of 
his  anger  against  his  son  Curt,  whom  he  reproached 
with  being  alone  in  fault.  By  his  foolish  praise  of 
his  brother-in-law  and  his  exaggerated  account  of 
the  dangers  of  his  position  he  had  so  aroused  Eu- 
genie's conscience  that  a  false  feeling  of  duty  had 
impelled  her  to  hasten  to  her  husband.  She  had 
gone  only  because  she  believed  him  unhappy ;  but 
when  once  there,  who  could  tell  if  they  would  not 
at  last  come  to  a  full  reconciliation  ?  Most  certain- 
ly they  would  if  Berkow  was  egotistic  enough  to 
accept  the  proffered  sacrifice. 

By  all  that  was  sacred,  the  baron  swore  to  carry 
through  the  divorce  in  spite  of  opposition.  The 
initiatory  steps  had  been  taken,  the  lawyers  already 
had  the  case  in  their  hands,  and  Eugenie  must  and 
should  come  back  to  reason.  He,  her  father,  would 
see  if  he  could  not  enforce  his  paternal  authority, 
and  if  his  two  children — here  he  threw  an  annihi- 
lating glance  upon  poor  Curt,  with  whom  he  was 
alone  for  the  moment — seemed  so  entirely  to  disre- 
gard it. 


GOOD  LUCK.  311 

Curt  let  the  whole  storm  pass  over  him  without 
offering  a  syllable  in  self-justification.  He  knew 
from  experience  that  this  was  his  best  course.  His 
bowed  head  and  downcast  eyes  seemed  to  indicate 
that  he  was  suffering  great  remorse  for  his  thought- 
lessness and  the  wrong  it  had  done.  But  as  the  still 
enraged  baron  left  the  salon,  in  his  own  chamber  to 
brood  over  this  unheard-of  affair,  the  young  officer 
suddenly  sprang  up,  and  the  jubilant  expression  of 
his  handsome  face  and  the  laughing  eyes  gave 
proof  how  little  the  paternal  anger  had  gone  to  his 
heart. 

"  To-morrow  morning  Eugenie  will  be  with  her 
husband,"  said  he  to  his  two  brothers,  who  now  be- 
sieged him  with  questions.  "  Then  let  papa  just 
once  try  to  intrude  with  his  paternal  authority  and 
his  lawyers !  Arthur  will  protect  his  wife  as  soon 
as  he  knows  that  she  belongs  to  him :  as  yet  he  has 
not  known  this.  In  truth,  we  " — here  Curt  threw  a 
wary  glance  to  the  door  behind  which  his  father 
had  vanished — "  we  shall  have  storms  for  a  week, 
perhaps,  and  the  most  violent  of  all  will  come  when 
papa  first  perceives  the  mutual  relations  between 
Arthur  and  Eugenie,  and  that  they  are  now  influ- 
enced by  other  motives  than  conscience  and  sense 
of  duty — that  they  are  now  in  the  full  sunshine  of 
happiness,  and  that,  with  Eugenie  by  his  side,  Ar- 
thur will  fight  his  way  through  all  obstacles.  Thank 
God !  we  are  free  from  the  divorce  trial,  lawyers 
and  all ;  and  any  one  who  now  says  a  word  to  me 
against  my  brother-in-law  shall  answer  for  it." 


312  QOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

EARLY  the  next  forenoon  the  post-chaise  from 

R to  the  Berkow  estates  halted  at  the  entrance 

of  the  valley  in  which  the  works  were  situated  and 
in  sight  of  the  nearest  houses. 

"  Do  not  attempt  to  go  on,  your  ladyship,"  said 
the  coachman,  making  his  appearance  at  the  door. 
"  You  had  better  turn  back  with  me,  as  I  begged 
you  at  the  last  station.  The  peasant  we  have  just 
met  confirms  the  news  already  heard  :  to-day  there 
will  be  riot  and  murder  at  the  mines.  Early  this 
morning  the  miners  started  out  from  the  villages, 
and  all  is  in  confusion.  Much  as  I  wish  to  drive 
with  you  to  the  house,  I  cannot,  without  risking 
coach  and  horses.  The  men  in  revolt  up  yonder 
will  spare  neither  friend  nor  foe.  You  must  not 
go  over  to-day  :  wait  until  to-morrow." 

The  young  woman,  who  sat  quite  alone  in  the 
coach,  instead  of  answering,  opened  the  door  and 
stepped  out. 

"  I  cannot  wait,"  she  said  gravely ;  "  but  I  will 
not  endanger  you  and  your  equipage.  In  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  I  can  very  well  go  the  distance  on  foot. 
You  can  turn  back." 

The  coachman  wearied  himself  with  warnings 


GOOD  LUCK.  313 

and  expostulations.  He  thought  it  very  strange 
that  this  aristocratic  lady,  who  with  lavish  drinking- 
money  had  urged  him  on.  to  the  utmost  possible 
speed,  should  now  venture,  so  entirely  alone,  out 
into  the  midst  of  the  tumult.  But  all  his  well- 
meant  representations  were  repaid  only  by  an  im- 
patient gesture  for  him  to  depart,  and  at  length, 
shrugging  his  shoulders,  he  turned  and  went. 

Eugenie  entered  a  foot-path,  which,  without 
touching  the  works,  led  over  the  meadow  to  the 
end  of  the  park,  and  which,  apparently,  was  as  yet 
safe.  In  case  of  need  she  could  find  society  and 
protection  in  the  officers'  dwellings  which  lay  along 
in  that  direction. 

She  had  not  known  how  necessary  both  might  be 
when,  following  the  impulse  of  the  moment,  she 
had  undertaken  the  journey  here  alone,  and  even 
now  she  did  not  know  the  whole  magnitude  of  the 
danger  which  beset  her  in  this  walk.  It  was  not 
the  possibility  of  danger  which  gave  her  cheeks 
their  high  color,  her  eyes  their  restless  light,  and 
made  her  breast  heave  so  violently  that  she  some- 
times had  to  pause  for  breath :  it  was  fear  of  the 
separation. 

The  heavy  dream  which  had  oppressed  her  as 
she  left  her  husband's  house  could  not  have  vanished 
during  that  whole  period  of  absence.  The  home 
of  her  childhood,  the  love  of  her  family,  the  siren 
voices  of  the  new  life  and  happiness  had  not  availed 
to  awaken  her  from  it :  the  dream  had  remained, 
with  its  dull  pain  and  its  undefined  longing.  Kow 


314  GOOD  LUCK. 

at  last  should  the  awakening  come;  and  all  the 
thoughts,  all  the  emotions  of  the  young  wife  were 
compressed  into  this  one  question  :  "  How  will  he 
receive  me  ?" 

She  had  just  reached  a  small  house,  standing 
alone  and  forming,  as  it  were,  the  outpost  of  the 
works,  when  a  man,  emerging  from  it,  hastily  ap- 
proached, but  at  sight  of  her  drew  back  in  visible 
terror. 

l(  For  God's  sake,  your  ladyship,  how  came  you 
here,  and  above  all  to-day  ?" 

"Ah,  Overseer  Hartmann!  is  it  you?"  said 
Eugenie,  advancing  to  meet  him.  "  Thank  Heaven 
that  I  have  met  you  just  now,"  she  added.  "  Revolt 
has  broken  out  upon  the  works,  I  hear.  I  left  the 
post-chaise  down  yonder,  as  the  driver  did  not  dare 
go  on.  I  can  now  reach  the  house  on  foot." 

The  overseer  made  a  quick  warning  gesture. 

"  That  cannot  be,  your  ladyship  :  it  will  not  do 
now.  Perhaps  to-morrow,  or  toward  evening  to- 
day, only  not  now." 

"  And  why  not  now  ?"  interrupted  Eugenie,  turn- 
ing pale.  "  Is  our  house  threatened  ?  My  hus- 
band  " 

"  No,  no ;  to-day  Herr  Berkow  is  in  no  danger : 
he  is  in  the  house  with  his  officers.  This  time  the 
revolt  has  broken  out  among  us.  This  morning  a 
Dart  of  the  miners  wanted  to  go  to  work  again,  but 
*iy  son  " — here  a  quiver  of  pain  passed  over  the 
•old  man's  face — "  well,  you  will  soon  know  how 
stand.  Ulrich  is  in  a  rage.  He  and  his 


GOOD  LUCK.  315 

underlings  have  driven  the  workmen  back  and  now 
hold  possession  of  the  mines.  The  vanquished 
party  are  not  going  to  submit  to  this,  and  they  are 
plotting  together.  The  entire  works  are  in  revolt 
and  comrade  is  array od  against  comrade.  Merciful 
God  !  what  will  be  the  end  of  this  ?" 

The  overseer  wrung  his  hands.  Eugenie  now 
understood  the  wild  commotion  up  yonder;  the 
sounds  of  strife  that,  despite  the  distance,  were 
plainly  audible  to  her. 

"  I  intend  to  shun  the  works,"  returned  she.  "  I 
wish  to  cross  the  meadow  to  the  park,  and  from 
there " 

"  For  Heaven's  sake  do  not  go  there !"  interrupted 
the  old  man.  "Ulrich  is  there  with  his  whole 
party  :  they  are  holding  a  council  upon  the  meadow. 
I  was  just  going  over  there  to  beg  him  once  more 
to  come  back  to  reason  and  at  least  leave  the  mines 
free.  Now  the  fight  is  against  our  own  flesh  and 
blood ;  but  in  his  fury  he  neither  sees  nor  hears 
anything.  Do  not  go  that  way,  my  lady  :  it  is  the 
worst." 

"I  must  reach  the  house,"  declared  Eugenie 
decidedly,  "  cost  what  it  will.  Go  with  me  only  to 
the  officers'  dwellings,  Hartmann.  If  necessary 
I  will  remain  there  until  the  path  is  free,  and  at 
your  side  I  shall  be  secure  from  danger." 

The  old  man  anxiously  shook  his  head. 

"  I  cannot  help  your  ladyship,"  he  said.  "  To- 
day, when  one  stands  arrayed  against  the  other, 
amid  all  the  tumult  I  am  scarce  secure  of  my  own 


316  GOOD  LUCK 

life  ;  and  if  you  should  be  recognized  it  would  avail 
you  little  that  I  was  at  your  side.  There  is  only 
one  person  who  can  assure  you  respectful  treat- 
ment— one  whom  they  will  obey ;  and  he  hates 
Herr  Berkow  with  a  deadly  hatred  and  hates  you 
because  you  are  his  wife.  Righteous  God  !  there 
he  comes !  Something  has  happened  to  displease 
him  :  I  see  it  in  his  face.  Keep  out  of  his  sight 
just  now,  I  implore  you." 

He  pushed  the  young  woman  through  the  half- 
open  door  of  the  little  house,  for  already  steps  and 
loud,  passionate  voices  were  heard  close  by.  Ulrich, 
accompanied  by  Lorenz  and  some  other  miners, 
came  on  without  remarking  his  father.  His  face 
was  flaming  red  ;  upon  his  forehead  lay  a  thunder- 
cloud, which  every  moment  threatened  to  burst 
forth  ;  and  his  voice  rang  out  in  the  wildest  excite- 
ment. 

"  And  if  they  are  our  comrades,  or  even  our 
brothers,  down  with  them  as  soon  as  thev  become 

*/ 

traitors  to  us !  We  have  pledged  our  word  to  stand 
one  by  the  other,  and  now  they  would  cowardly 
submit  and  abandon  us  and  the  whole  movement. 
They  shall  have  their  pay  for  this.  Have  you  taken 
possession  of  the  mines  ?" 

"Yes;  but " 

"  No  buts !"  said  the  young  leader  imperiously  to 
the  miner  who  allowed  himself  this  pretext. 
"There  must  not  be  treason  in  our  own  ranks  now, 
when  we  stand  so  near  to  victory.  You  will  drive 
them  back,  I  tell  you,  as  soon  as  they  seek  to  come 


GOOD  LUCK.  317 

on.  They  shall  learn  where  their  place  and  their 
duty  now  is,  even  though  they  learn  it  with  bloody 
heads." 

"But  there  are  two  hundred  of  them,"  said 
Lorenz  gravely.  "  To-morrow  there  will  be  four 
hundred;  and  if  the  chief  should  interfere  and 
make  a  speech  to  them,  you  know  what  effect  that 
would  have.  We  have  learned  this  often  enough  of 
late." 

"  And  if  there  were  four  hundred — even  if  it  was 
half  of  the  workmen,  we  would  compel  them  to 
submission  with  the  other  half !"  cried  Ulrich 
furiously.  "  I  will  see  if  I  can  no  longer  be  obeyed. 
But  now  forward  !  Carl,  you  must  go  over  to  the 
works  and  bring  me  news  whether  Berkow  has 

again  been  interfering — if  with  his  d d  eloquence 

he  has  not  again  made  hundreds  wavering.  You 
others,  go  back  to  the  mines.  See  that  they  are 
fully  guarded  and  allow  no  one  there  who  does  not 
belong  to  us.  I  will  follow  immediately.  Go!" 

The  command  was  instantly  obeyed.  The  miners 
hastened  in  the  direction  ordered,  and  Ulrich,  who 
now  for  the  first  time  saw  that  his  father  was  pres- 
ent, went  hastily  up  to  him. 

"  You  here,  father  ?     You  should  rather " 

He  paused  suddenly.  His  feet  seemed  rooted  to 
the  ground ;  the  face,  just  now  so  flushed,  became 
white  as  if  every  drop  of  blood  had  left  it,  and  the 
eyes  opened  wide  and  staring  as  if  they  saw  a  spirit. 
Eugenie  had  stepped  out  of  the  door  and  stood 
right  before  him. 


318  GOOD  LUCK. 

Into  the  young  woman's  head  had  flashed  an  idea 
which  she  carried  out  that  very  moment.  She  did 
not  think  of  the  daring,  even  danger  of  her  venture. 
She  would  go  to  her  husband  at  any  price,  and 
therefore  she  overcame  the  horror  with  which  this 
man  had  inspired  her  since  she  knew  upon  what  her 
power  over  him  was  based.  Once  more  she  would 
use  this  power,  whose  effect  she  had  already  so  often 
proved. 

"  It  is  I,  Hartmann,"  she  said,  mastering  an  invol- 
untary tremor  and  speaking  with  the  fullest  appar- 
ent calmness.  "Your  father  has  just  warned  me 
against  taking  the  path  alone,  and  still  I  must  go 
on." 

At  the  sound  of  her  voice  Ulrich  seemed  first  to 
comprehend  that  it  really  was  Eugenie  Berkow  who 
stood  there  before  him,  and  not  a  vision  of  his  ex- 
cited fancy.  Passionately  he  advanced  a  few  steps 
toward  her,  but  Eugenie's  voice  and  glance  still  ex- 
ercised the  old  power  over  him,  and  a  gleam  of 
mildness  and  repose  now  overspread  his  features. 

"  "What  do  you  wish  here,  my  lady  ?"  he  asked 
excitedly  ;  but  the  tone  just  now  so  rough  and  im- 
perious was  changed.  It  had  almost  a  touch  of 
weakness.  "  Things  go  badly  with  us  to-day. 
This  is  no  place  for  women,  least  of  all  for  you. 
You  must  not  remain  here." 

"  I  wish  to  go  to  my  husband,"  said  Eugenie 
quickly. 

"To — your  husband?"  repeated  Ulrich.  "In- 
deed !" 


GOOD  LUCK.  319 

It  was  the  first  time  the  young  wife  had  used 
this  designation.  She  had  always  hitherto  said 
"  Herr  Berkow,"  and  Ulrich  seemed  to  suspect 
what  lay  in  this  one  word.  In  his  first  surprise  he 
had  not  thought  why  she  had  come  here  so  sud- 
denly or  in  what  way  she  could  possibly  have  done 
this.  Now  he  threw  a  hasty  glance  upon  her  trav- 
eling-dress and  a  second  around  him,  as  if  to  seek 
the  carriage  or  escort. 

"  I  am  alone,"  explained  Eugenie,  who  understood 
this  glance  ;  "  and  it  is  just  that  which  forbids  my 
going  on.  I  do  not  fear  the  danger :  it  is  the  in- 
sults to  which  I  might  be  exposed.  You  have  once 
offered  me  your  protection  and  your  company, 
Hartmann,  where  I  did  not  need  them ;  now  I  lay 
claim  to  both.  Conduct  me  safely  over  to  the 
house.  You  can  do  it." 

The  overseer  had  thus  far  stood  anxiously  to  one 
side  ;  he  expected  every  moment  some  attack  from 
his  son  against  the  wife  of  the  chief  he  so  hated, 
and  was  ready  in  case  of  need  to  interfere.  He 
could  not  understand  the  calmness  and  fearlessness 
of  this  young  woman  in  presence  of  a  man  whom 
every  one  knew  to  be  the  inciter  of  the  whole  re- 
volt, and  now  as  she  made  this  request  of  him  and 
would  confide  herself  to  his  protection,  the  old 
man's  self-possession  left  him  ;  he  gazed  in  real 
terror  up  to  her  face.. 

But  Ulrich  also  was  terribly  excited  at  this  de- 
mand. The  momentary  expression  of  mildness  and 
submission  had  already  vanished,  and  the  old  im- 

• 

perious  obstinacy  had  returned. 


320  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Shall  7  conduct  you  over  ?"  he  asked  in  a  hol- 
low voice.  "  And  do  you  ask  this  from  me,  your 
ladyship — from  me?" 

"  From  you  /" 

Eugenie  did  not  take  her  eyes  from  his  face. 
She  knew  that  in  them  her  whole  might  lay  ;  but 
here  she  seemed  to  stand  at  the  utmost  limit  of  this 
might.  Ulrich  started  up  like  a  madman. 

" Never!  no,  never!  Rather  would  I  let  the 
house  be  stormed,  let  all  go  to  ruin,  than  take 
you  over  there.  Shall  he  have  courage  to  re- 
sist us  to  the  death  because  you  are  at  his  side  ? 
Shall  he  triumph  when  he  sees  that  you  have  come 
here  alone  from  the  Residence,  quite  alone,  and 
through  all  this  danger,  only  so  that  he  be  not  left 
solitary  ?  For  this  you  must  seek  another  guide  ; 
and  if  you  find  that  other" — here  he  gave  his 
father  a  threatening  side  glance — "  he  would  not  go 
far  with  you.  I  should  care  for  that." 

"  Ulrich,  for  God's  sake  restrain  yourself :  it  is  a 
woman  !"  cried  the  overseer,  stepping  between  the 
two  in  mortal  terror. 

He  naturally  saw  in  this  scene  only  the  outbreak 
of  that  reckless  hostility  which  his  son  had  long 
nursed  against  the  whole  Berkow  family,  and  there- 
fore he  placed  himself  protectingly  before  the 
young  woman,  who  gently  but  decidedly  pushed 
him  back. 

"  Then  you  will  not  accompany  me,  Hartmann  ?" 

"No,  and  ten  times  no !" 

"  Well,  then,  I  will  go  alone." 


GOOD  LUCK.  321 

She  turned  in  the  direction  of  the  park,  but  with 
two  steps  Ulrich  had  reached  her  and  placed  him- 
self in  her  way. 

"  Go  back,  your  ladyship !  You  cannot  get 
through,  I  tell  you,  and  least  of  all  where  ray  com- 
rades are.  Woman  or  not,  that  is  all  the  same. 
Your  name  is  Berkow  and  that  suffices  them.  As 
soon  as  you  are  recognized  they  will  all  attack  you. 
You  cannot  and  you  shall  not  go  over  now.  You 
remain  here !" 

He  hurled  the  last  words  at  her  with  a  voice  of 
threatening  command,  but  Eugenie  was  not  accus- 
tomed to  allow  others  to  command  her,  and  the 
almost  insane  violence  with  which  he  endeavored  to 
keep  her  from  Arthur  called  forth  a  nameless  an- 
guish in  her  soul ;  it  must  be  worse  with  him  than 
they  had  told  her. 

"  I  will  go  to  my  husband,"  she  repeated  with  the 
utmost  energy.  "  I  will  see  if  they  can  forqibly 
block  up  my  way  to  him.  Let  your  comrades  lay 
hands  upon  a  woman  !  Give  the  signal  for  attack 
yourself  if  you  would  take  the  responsibility  of  this 
heroic  deed.  I  am  going." 

And  she  went.  She  hastened  past  him  and  took 
the  meadow  path.  Hartmann  stood  there  and 
looked  after  her  with  glowing  eyes,  without  listen- 
ing to  the  entreaties  or  representations  of  his  father. 
Ulrich  knew  better  than  he  what  the  young  woman 
had  in  view  by  this  venture — to  what  she  would 
force  him  ;  but  this  time  he  would  not  yield.  And 
if  she  went  to  ruin  on  the  threshold  of  her  home, 


322  GOOD  LUCK. 

in  sight  of  her  husband,  before  he  himself  conducted 
her  to  the  arms  of  the  hated  man,  before— 

Up  yonder  appeared  a  crowd  of  miners  who, 
shouting  and  raging,  pressed  near  their  leader. 
The  foremost  were  only  a  few  hundred  steps  dis- 
tant ;  already  they  had  noticed  that  solitary 
woman's  form  ;  the  next  minute  she  must  be  recog- 
nized, and  only  half  an  hour  before  he  had  himself 
inspired  these  men  with  a  blind  fury  against  all 
which  bore  the  name  of  Berkow.  Eugenie  went  on, 
right  into  the  midst  of  danger,  without  even  veiling 
her  face.  Ulrich  stamped  as  if  beside  himself; 
then  all  at  once  he  broke  loose  from  his  father  and 
the  next  moment  he  was  at  her  side. 

"  Put  down  your  veil !"  he  commanded  her,  and 
with  iron  grasp  placed  his  hand  upon  hers. 

With  a  deep  sigh  of  relief  Eugenie  obeyed.  Now 
she  was  safe.  She  knew  that  he  would  not  again 
let  go  her  hand,  even  if  the  whole  force  of  miners 
broke  loose  against  her.  "With  full  consciousness 
she  had  escaped  the  danger,  but  also  with  the  full 
conviction  that  only  this  momentary  danger  to 
which  she  had  exposed  herself  could  have  enforced 
the  protection  he  had  denied  her.  She  had  con- 
quered, but  it  had  been  only  at  the  last  moment. 

They  had  now  reached  the  crowd,  which  made  a 
movement  as  if  to  surround  their  leader,  but  a 
brief  yet  most  emphatic  command  from  him  bade 
them  give  way  and  start  at  once  for  the  mines. 
Their  obedience  was,  as  usual,  unquestioning  and 
unhesitating  ;  and  Ulrich,  who  had  not  halted  for  a 


GOOD  LUCK.  323 

moment,  drew  his  companion  swiftly  onward.  Now 
for  the  first  time  she  saw  how  impossible  it  would 
have  been  to  pass  through  this  crowd  alone,  or 
indeed  with  any  other  escort  than  the  man  at  her 
side. 

The  whole  expanse  of  the  meadow,  usually  so 
silent,  was  to-day  the  theater  of  a  violent  tumult, 
although  the  only  conflict  had  taken  place  at  the 
mines.  Throngs  of  miners  passed  to  and  fro  or 
gathered  in  wildly  excitedg  roups :  everywhere  were 
angry  faces  and  threatening  gestures;  everywhere 
shouting,  confusion,  and  uproar.  The  wildly  ex- 
cited mob  seemed  to  seek  only  an  object  upon 
which  to  wreak  its  whole  lust  for  vengeance.  Hap- 
pily, the  foot-path  led  along  the  edge  of  the  meadow, 
a  little  away  from  the  immediate  scene  of  the 
tumult ;  but  even  here  Ulrich,  as  soon  as  he  ap- 
peared, became  the  center  of  general  attention. 

But  a  strange  surprise  mingled  with  the  uproar- 
ious shouts  which  everywhere  greeted  him.  Many 
wondering,  distrustful  glances  fell  upon  the  woman 
at  his  side.  In  her  dark  traveling-suit  and  behind 
her  thick  veil  no  one  had  recognized  the  wife  of  the 
chief,  and  if  from  her  gait  or  bearing  any  one  had 
imagined  it  to  be  her  ladyship,  the  supposition,  if 
made  audible  to  the  crowd,  would  have  been  scouted 
with  derisive  laughter.  It  was  Ulrich  Hartmann 
who  had  taken  her  under  his  protection,  and  he 
certainly  would  protect  nothing  which  belonged  to 
the  house  of  Berkow.  But  it  was  still  a  lady  who 
walked  near  him — near  this  rough,  wild  son  of  the 


324  GOOD  LUCK. 

overseer,  who  was  not  wont  to  concern  himself 
about  women,  not  even  about  Martha  Ewers,  an 
object  of  interest  to  every  unmarried  miner  upon 
the  works.  Could  this  be  Ulrich  Hartmann,  who 
regarded  and  treated  the  wives  of  his  comrades  as 
a  superfluous  burden  to  be  shaken  off  as  much  as 
possible — could  this  indeed  be  he  who  accompanied 
this  strange  lady,  and  with  an  expression  upon  his 
face  as  if  he  would  fell  any  man  who  approached 
a  step  too  near?  Who  was  the  lady?  and  what 
did  it  mean  ? 

This  short  walk  of  scarce  ten  minutes  was  a  ven- 
ture even  for  the  young  leader,  but  he  showed  that 
he  was  absolute  master  of  his  comrades  and  knew 
how  to  use  his  authority.  Now,  with  some  imperious 
words,  he  dispersed  a  group  which  stood  in  his  way  ; 
now  he  hurled  commands  or  directions  to  the  crowd 
pressing  on  toward  him,  which  made  it  take 
another  course ;  now  he  dismissed  the  solitary  in- 
dividuals who  came  with  questions  or  tidings  with  a 
"  By  and  by"  or  "  Wait  until  I  return  ;"  and  amid 
all  he  kept  drawing  on  the  young  woman  so  rapidly 
as  to  prevent  discovery.  At  length  they  reached  the 
latticed  gate  at  the  entrance  of  the  park.  Ulrich 
pushed  open  the  gate  and  led  Eugenie  under  the 
protection  of  the  trees. 

"  I  have  gone  far  enough  with  you,"  said  he.  let- 
ting go  her  hand.  "  The  park  is  yet  safe,  and  in 
five  minutes  you  will  be  at  the  house." 

Eugenie  still  trembled  at  thought  of  the  danger 
she  had  just  escaped,  and  her  hand  still  ached  from. 


GOOD  LUCK.  305 

the  iron  pressure  of  his.  Slowly  she  threw  back 
her  veil  and  looked  up  into  the  face  of  her  pro- 
tector. 

"  Now  be  sure  to  hasten,  your  ladyship,"  said  he 
with  bitter  irony.  "  I  have  honorably  aided  you  to 
see  your  husband  again.  You  will  not  keep  him 
waiting." 

The  young  miner's  face  betrayed  what  torture 
she  had  inflicted  upon  him  as  she  left  him  the 
choice  of  exposing  her  to  attack  or  of  conducting 
her  to  her  husband.  The  young  woman  had  not  the 
courage  to  thank  him.  Silently  she  extended  to 
him  her  hand. 

But  Ulrich  thrust  back  the  hand. 

"You  have  dared  demand  much  from  me,  my 
lady,"  he  said,  "  so  much  that  you  came  near  losing 
all.  Now  you  have  your  will ;  but  do  not  again 
seek  to  compel  me,  as  to-day,  at  least  when  he  is 
near.  If  you  do,  then,  by  Heaven,  I  will  give  you 
both  up  to  the  mercy  of  the  mob !" 

Upon  the  terrace  stood  Franz  and  Anton,  with 
anxious  yet  curious  faces,  gazing  over  to  the  works. 
As  their  lad}r,  whom  they  had  supposed  safe  in  the 
Residence,  suddenly  stood  before  them,  without  the 
sound  of  carriage- wheels  having  been  heard,  with- 
out her  maid  or  any  other  company,  they  started 
back  in  no  less  terror  than  the  overseer  when,  just 
before,  she  had  appeared  to  him. 

She  could  not  have  come  through  the  works,  still 
less  through  the  park,  they  thought ;  for  behind 
there,  upon  the  meadow,  the  tumult  was  at  its 


326  GOOD  LUCK. 

height ;  and  yet  she  was  here  !  Both  servants  were 
so  confounded  that  they  could  scarce  answer  their 
lady's  hurried  questions ;  but  Eugenie  learned  that 
Herr  Berkow  was  just  now  in.  the  house  and 
hastened  up  the  steps. 

Franz,  who  followed  her,  found  still  more  occa- 
sion to  wonder  at  her  ladyship,  for  when  she  had 
arrived  in  the  antechamber  she  scarce  allowed  him 
to  take  her  hat  and  cloak.  As  he  was  hastening  to 
the  wing  occupied  by  Herr  Berkow  to  announce 
her  arrival  she  ordered  him  back,  saying  that  she 
would  go  to  her  husband  at  once  and  without 
announcement.  With  the  traveling-cloak  still  in 
his  hands,  Franz  stood  there  and  gazed  after  his 
mistress  in  open-mouthed  wonder.  This  had  all 
come  like  a  clap  of  thunder.  What  could  have 
happened  in  the  Residence  ? 

Eugenie  passed  quickly  through  the  hall  and  the 
two  anterooms;  then  she  suddenly  paused,  for  from 
che  adjoining  cabinet  she  heard  Arthur's  voice. 
The  young  wife  had  certainly  reckoned  upon  find- 
«ug  her  husband  alone,  and  now  she  found  him  in 
the  company  of  another.  This  meeting  must  not 
take  olace  in  the  presence  of  strangers :  anything 
but  that!  Still  hesitating  as  to  whether  she  should 
turn  back  or  remain,  she  at  length  stepped  softly 
behind  the  portiere,  whose  folds  concealed  her  from 
view. 

"It  is  impossible,  Herr  Berkow,"  said  the  clear, 
sharp  voice  of  the  chief  engineer.  "  If  you  still 
allow  yourself  to  be  ruled  by  such  forbearance,  all 


GOOD  LUCK.  327 

you  have  now  begun  to  bring  back  to  order  will 
turn  against  you.  Hartmann's  party  has  this  time 
withdrawn  from  the  field  because  it  is  the  weaker; 
but  the  scene  of  this  morning  will  be  repeated,  and 
with  greater  violence  when  we  have  something 
more  to  deal  with  than  a  mere  fight  with  unarmed 
men.  Hartmann  has  shown  that  he  will  not  spare 
his  own  comrades  if  they  rebel  against  his  terrorism. 
In  carrying  out  his  obstinate  designs  he  is  regard- 
less alike  of  friend  and  foe." 

The  open  door  gave  Eugenie  an  unobstructed 
view  of  the  room.  Arthur  stood  directly  opposite 
her  at  the  open  window,  and  the  full  light  fell  upon 
his  face,  which  had  grown  strangely  sad  since  she 
saw  him  last.  The  shadow  of  care,  which  at  that 
time  had  lain  upon  the  forehead  as  yet  so  little 
accustomed  to  wear  it,  had  now  engraven  itself 
there  in  two  deep  folds  which  no  after-time  could 
perhaps  obliterate.  Every  line  of  the  face  had  be- 
come sharper  and  stronger.  The  expression  of 
energy,  which  at  its  first  dawning  had  been  notice- 
able only  in  moments  of  excitement,  now  absolutely 
predominated  and  had  quite  obliterated  the  former 
listless,  dreamy  look.  It  was  evident  that  in  a  few 
weeks  the  young  chief  had  learned  what  would  for 
others  be  the  work  of  years. 

"  I  am  certainly  the  last  man  who  would  advise 
outside  assistance,"  continued  the  chief  engineer, 
"  but  I  think  we  all,  and  particularly  our  chief, 
have  done  enough  to  restrain  the  revolt.  We 
certainly  cannot  be  blamed  for  resorting  to  a 


328  GOOD  LUCK. 

measure  the  other  works  took  long  ago,  and  with 
no  such  urgent  necessity  as  ours." 

Arthur  gravely  shook  his  head  and  replied  : 

"  The  other  works  can  be  no  rule  for  us.  There 
a  few  wounds  and  imprisonments  settled  all ;  there 
fifty  soldiers  and  a  few  shots  fired  into  the  air 
sufficed  to  put  down  the  whole  revolt.  Here  Hart- 
mann  stands  at  the  head,  and  we  all  know  what 
that  means.  He  himself  would  not  quail  before  a 
bayonet-charge,  and  with  him  also  stand  or  fall  his 
entire  band  of  followers.  If  we  should  resort  to 
military  force,  peace  for  us  could  only  come  over 
the  bodies  of  the  slain." 

The  officer  was  silent,  but  his  deep  gravity  proved 
that  he  fully  shared  the  apprehensions  of  his  chief. 

"But  if  peace  is  not  to  be  obtained  other- 
wise  "  began  he  again. 

"  If  it  could  be  obtained  in  that  way,"  returned 
Arthur ;  "  but  it  cannot,  and  the  sacrifice  would  be 
in  vain.  For  the  moment  I  might  subdue  the  in- 
surrection, only  to  have  it  the  next  year,  perhaps 
the  next  month,  break  forth  anew ;  and  you  know 
as  well  as  I  that  this  will  take  from  me  the  last 
possibility  of  holding  the  works.  In  other  places 
the  workmen  show  some  leaning  toward  justice 
and  confidence ;  in  other  places  they  begin  to  return 
to  reason ;  with  us  nothing  of  this  kind  can  be 
hoped.  This  distrust,  sown  for  so  man}'  years, 
cannot  easily  be  uprooted.  "When  I  entered  upon 
the  control  of  the  works  hatred  and  revenge  was 
the  watchword  which  greeted  me ;  it  is  the  same 


GOOD  LUCK.  329 

today;  and  if  1  place  bloodshed  between  them  and 
me,  then  all  is  over.  In  an  open  conflict  Hartmann 
might  conquer ;  he  might  perhaps  by  bloodshed  and 
violence  drive  his  men  to  obedience ;  he  still  re- 
mains to  them  the  Messiah  from  whom  alone  they 
expect  their  redemption.  If  I  allow  a  single  shot 
to  be  fired,  if  I  take  up  arms  even  in  self-defense, 
then  I  am  the  tyrant  who  allows  murder  in  cold 
blood — the  oppressor  who  takes  delight  in  their 
destruction.  The  old  overseer  once  said  to  me — 
and  they  were  no  idle  words — 'If  rebellion  once 
breaks  out  among  us,  then  God  help  us !' " 

There  was  no  repining,  there  was  not  the  least 
trace  of  despondency  in  his  words ;  they  expressed 
only  the  deep  resentment  of  a  man  who  finds  him- 
self drawn  to  the  edge  of  an  abyss,  to  keep  away 
from  which  he  has  vainly  put  forth  all  his  strength. 
Perhaps  the  young  chief  would  not  thus  have 
spoken  to  any  other,  but  the  head  engineer  was  the 
only  man  who  of  late  had  been  taken  into  his  clos- 
est confidence,  the  only  one  who,  in  all  the  dangers 
which  had  menaced  him,  in  all  the  measures  he  had 
undertaken,  had  stood  firmly  and  unwaveringly  at 
his  side.  He  was  also  the  only  one  who  sometimes 
heard  from  the  chief  other  things  than  the  direc- 
tions and  encouraging  words  which  were  alone 
vouchsafed  the  other  officers. 

"  But  a  portion  of  the  miners  have  already  at- 
tempted to  resume  work,"  said  the  chief  engineer. 

"And  that  very  reason,"  replied  Arthur,  "will 
compel  me  to  make  war  upon  the  others.  No  rec- 


330  GOOD  LUCK. 

onciliation  with  Hartmann  is  to  be  hoped  for.  I 
have  once  sought  it  in  vain." 

"  With  whom  ?  What  have  you  sought,  Herr 
Berkow  ?"  asked  the  officer  with  such  an  expression 
of  horror  that  the  young  chief  looked  at  him  in 
astonishment. 

"  An  understanding  with  Hartmann.  It  cer- 
tainly did  not  happen  officially  ;  that  one  might 
have  considered  cowardice.  It  was  at  an  accidental 
meeting  between  us  two  alone,  where  I  once  again 
offered  him  my  hand." 

"That  you  could  not  do!  Offer  your  hand  to 
that  man !"  interposed  the  engineer  excitedly. 
"  My  God !  but  in  truth  you  as  yet  know  noth- 
ing." 

"I  could  not?"  repeated  Arthur  somewhat  sharp- 
ly. "  What  do  you  mean  by  that,  sir  ?  You  may 
be  assured  that  I  know  how  to  fully  maintain  my 
dignity,  even  on  such  an  occasion  as  that." 

The  officer  had  already  recovered  his  self-control. 

"I  beg  your  pardon,  Herr  Berkow,"  he  said. 
"My  expression  was  not  intended  as  a  criticism 
upon  our  chief :  it  referred  only  to  the  son,  who 
certainly  has  no  suspicion  of  the  reports  connected 
with  his  father's  death.  We  had  pledged  our  word 
to  say  nothing  of  these  to  you,  and  we  did  this  with 
the  best  intentions.  But  I  now  see  that  we  were 
wrong,  that  you  ought  to  know.  You  would  have 
offered  your  hand  to  Hartmann  ;  and  this,  I  repeat, 
should  not  be." 

Arthur  looked  fixedly  at  him.  His  face  had  all 
at  once  become  colorless  and  the  lips  trembled. 


GOOD  LUCK.  331 

"You  speak  of  Hartmann  and  of  ray  father's 
death.  Is  there  any  connection  between  the  two  ?" 

"  I  fear  so :  we  all  fear  it.  Common  suspicion 
attaches  to  Hartmann,  and  not  alone  with  us — also 
among  his  comrades." 

"  At  that  time,  in  the  mines  ?"  broke  out  Arthur 
in  fearful  excitement.  "  A  treacherous  attack 
against  a  defenseless  man  3  I  cannot  believe  that 
of  Hartmann." 

"  He  hated  the  dead  man,"  said  the  chief  engi- 
neer significantly,  "and  he  never  denied  this  ha- 
tred. Herr  Berkow  might  have  enraged  him  by  a 
command,  by  a  word.  Whether  the  rope  really 
broke  through  mere  accident,  and  he  employed  the 
moment  of  danger  to  rescue  himself  and  hurl  the 
other  back  into  the  abyss,  or  whether  the  whole 
was  a  deliberate  plan — this  question  truly  is 
shrouded  in  mystery.  But  he  is  not  innocent ;  for 
that  I  would  vouch." 

The  young  chief  showed  how  this  view  of  the 
case  excited  him.  He  leaned  heavily  against  the 
table  for  support. 

"The  inquest  decided  that  it  was  an  accident/' he 
returned  with  faltering  voice. 

"The  inquest  decided  nothing.  They  assumed  it 
to  be  an  accident  and  let  it  pass  as  such.  No  one 
ventured  a  public  accusation.  Every  proof  was 
wanting,  and  it  would  have  led  to  an  interminable 
contest  with  our  miners  if  we  had  made  use  of  this 
suspicion  to  take  from  them  their  leader,  who  in  all 
probability  would  have  been  exculpated.  We 


332  GOOD  LUCK. 

knew,  Herr  Berkow,  that  as  things  then  were  you 
could  not  avoid  a  conflict  with  this  rival ;  and  we 
would  at  least  spare  you  the  bitterness  of  knowing 
with  whom  you  fought.  That  was  the  reason  of 
our  silence." 

Arthur  passed  his  hand  over  his  moist  forehead. 

"I  did  not  suspect  that — not  that!"  he  said. 
"And  even  if  it  is  only  a  suspicion,  you  are  right: 
I  should  not  offer  the  man  my  hand." 

"  And  this  man,"  interposed  the  officer  excitedly, 
"has,  at  the  head  of  his  comrades,  brought  all  this 
misfortune  upon  you  and  us.  This  man  has  inces- 
santly fomented  and  prolonged  the  quarrel ;  and 
now,  when  his  power  is  declining,  he  seeks  to  make 
the  rupture  incurable  and  reconciliation  impossible. 
Would  you  spare  him  now  if  you  could  ?" 

"Him  ?  No !  I  was  already  done  with  him  when 
he  so  roughly  repelled  my  overtures,  and  after  the 
scene  of  to-day  I  can  no  longer  spare  the  others ; 
they  driv  me  to  extremities.  This  morning  two 
hundred  of  the  men  wished  to  resume  work,  and 
they  certainly  have  the  right  to  demand  protection 
for  their  work.  The  mines  must  be  made  secure 
at  any  price.  I  cannot  accomplish  this  alone, 
and " 

"And — we  await  your  commands,  Herr  Ber- 
kow." 

There  was  a  momentary  pause,  but  the  visible 
struggle  in  Arthur's  face  gradually  gave  way  to  an 
expression  of  grave  determination. 

"  I  will  write  to  M !     The  letter  shall  be  sent 

to-day  :  it  must  be  1" 


GOOD  LUCK.  333 

"  At  last  /"  said  the  chief  engineer  half-aloud  and 
almost  half-reproachfully.  "  It  is  high  time." 

Arthur  turned  to  his  writing-table. 

"  Go  now  and  take  care  that  the  director  and  the 
other  gentlemen  remain  at  the  posts  which  I  as- 
signed them  when  I  was  upon  the  works.  They 
must  not  move  until  I  come  myself.  This  morning 
it  would  have  been  useless  to  interfere  in  all  that 
tumult ;  perhaps  it  is  now  possible.  In  half  an  hour 
I  will  be  with  you.  If,  meantime,  anything  special 
happens,  send  me  word  immediately." 

The  officer,  just  about  to  withdraw,  stepped  once 
again  to  his  chiefs  side. 

"  I  know  what  this  decision  costs  you,  Herr  Ber- 
kow,"  he  said  gravely,  "  and  we  none  of  us  take  the 
matter  lightly ;  but  one  need  not  always  fear  the 
worst.  Perhaps  it  will  pass  over  without  blood- 
shed." 

As  with  a  hast}'  parting  saluation  the  chief  engi- 
neer left  the  room,  he  was  much  too  hurried  and 
had  his  head  too  full  of  other  things  to  remark  the 
woman  who  at  his  approach  withdrew  still  further 
to  the  protection  of  the  portiere.  Without  even  a 
side  glance  he  strode  through  the  adjoining  room 
and  closed  the  door  behind  him.  The  husband  and 
wife  were  alone. 

Arthur  had  only  a  bitter  smile  for  the  last  words 
of  his  officer. 

"  It  is  too  late !"  said  he  now  to  himself  in  a  hol- 
low voice.  "  They  will  not  yield  without  blood- 
shed. I  must  reap  what  ray  father  sowed." 


334  GOOD  LUCK. 

He  threw  himself  down  upon  the  lounge  and 
rested  his  head  in  his  hand.  Now,  when  he  no 
longer  had  to  endure  the  glances  of  inquisitive  eyes, 
when  he  no  longer  had  to  play  the  chief,  upon 
whose  decision  all  the  others  hung — now  the  ener- 
gy vanished  from  his  features,  to  give  place  to  that 
expression  of  deathly  weariness  which  overpowers 
even  the  strongest  man  if  for  weeks  long  all  his 
strength  of  mind  and  body  has  been  strained  and 
exercised  to  the  utmost  limits  of  possibility. 

It  was  a  moment  of  deep,  utter  despondency,  such 
as  well  might  approach  a  man  who  must  ever,  and 
ever  in  vain,  contend  against  the  curse  of  a  past  in 
which  he  is  guilty  of  nothing  save  an  indifferent 
alienation  from  its  interests,  and  whose  momentous 
heirship,  with  all  its  oppressive  burdens,  has  fallen 
upon  him  alone.  The  bitter  accusations  against  his 
father  which  often  came  involuntarily  from  his  lips 
were  stricken  dumb  at  the  moment  he  heard  those 
dreadful  hints  as  to  his  father's  death. 

And  still  it  was  the  father's  fault  alone  that  after 
this  desperate  struggle  the  son  was  now  confronted 
by  this  dire  necessity,  that  with  ruin  before  his 
eyes,  forsaken  by  his  wife,  deserted  by  all  the  world, 
he  grasped  at  the  last  means  of  saving  himself  and 
what  he  still  called  his  from  a  hatred  which,  for 
long  years  sown  and  fostered  by  another  hand,  had 
left  him  to  reap  its  whole  terrible  harvest. 

Arthur,  as  if  in  deathly  weariness,  closed  his  eyes 
and  leaned  his  head  upon  the  arm  of  the  lounge  :  he 
could  endure  no  more. 


GOOD  LUCK.  335 

Eugenie  quietly  left  her  corner  and  stood  upon 
the  threshold.  The  dangers  she  had  just  passed 
were  forgotten — forgotten  the  accusation  of  the 
officer  which  had  just  thrilled  her  with  such  shud- 
dering horror ;  forgotten,  also,  him  whose  daughter 
she  was  and  all  that  dignity  due  to  her  ancient  and 
noble  race. 

Now  as  she  approached  her  husband  she  thought 
of  him  alone.  The  thick  veil  which  had  so  long 
lain  between  them  should  be  rent  at  last.  All  must 
and  should  be  explained.  At  the  very  idea  of  di- 
vorce she  trembled,  as  if  with  that  decree  her  death- 
sentence  would  be  spoken. 

If  she  deceived  herself,  if  she  was  not  received  as 
she  wished  and  ought  to  be  received  after  this  sacri- 
fice which  she  had  extorted  from  her  pride — with 
stormv  violence  the  blood  rushed  to  the  heart  of 

^ 

this  young  wife  and  this  heart  beat  in  nameless 
anguish.  Upon  the  next  minute  hung  all  for  her. 

"  Arthur !"  said  she  softly. 

Arthur  started  up  as  if  a  spirit-voice  had  touched 
his  ear  and  glanced  around  him.  There,  upon  the 
threshold  where  she  had  bidden  him  adieu  forever, 
stood  his  wife  ;  and  at  the  moment  he  recognized 
her  sense  and  reflection  vanished.  He  made  a  ges- 
ture to  rush  toward  her,  and  the  outcry  of  happiness 
which  burst  from  his  lips,  the  uplighting  of  his  eyes, 
betrayed  all  which  by  a  self-mastery  of  long  months 
he  had  until  this  hour  concealed. 

'•  Eugenie !" 

The  young  woirjan  breathed  lightly,  as  if  a  moun- 


336  GOOD  LUCK. 

tain's  weight  had  fallen  from  her  breast.  The 
glance,  the  tone  with  which  he  called  her  name, 
gave  her  at  last  the  certainty  so  long  despaired  of ; 
and  if  in  the  midst  of  his  violent  excitement  he,  too, 
restrained  himself — if,  as  if  for  protection  against 
his  own  self,  he  strove  again  to  put  on  the  old  mask 
and  to  veil  the  treacherous  glances — it  was  too  late  : 
she  had  seen  too  much. 

"  Whence  come  you  here,"  he  asked  at  last,  with 
difficulty  controlling  his  emotion,  "  so  sudden,  so 
unexpected  ?  And  how  did  you  reach  the  house  ? 
The  works  are  all  in  an  uproar :  you  could  not  pos- 
sibly have  passed  them." 

Eugenie  slowly  approached  him. 

"  I  came  only  a  few  minutes  ago,"  she  said.  "  I 
certainly  had  to  win  my  way  by  force:  do  not  now 
ask  me  how,  it  is  enough  that  I  won  it.  I  wanted 
to  come  to  you  before  danger  reached  you." 

Arthur  made  an  effort  to  turn  away. 

"  What  does  this  mean,  Eugenie?  What  would 
you  have  with  this  tone  ?  Curt  must  have  alarmed 
you  with  his  reports  in  spite  of  my  request,  in  spite 
of  my  express  for  bid  dance.  I  wish  for  no  sacrifices 
from  duty  and  magnanimity.  You  know  it." 

"  Yes,  I  know  it,"  returned  the  young  wife  de- 
cidedly. "  With  these  words  you  have  once  already 
thrust  me  from  you.  You  could  not  forgive  me  for 
having  once  done  you  wrong,  and  in  revenge  for 
that  you  had  almost  sacrificed  yourself  and  me. 
Arthur,  who  was  the  more  revengeful,  the  harder— 
of  us  two?" 


GOOD  LUCK.  337 

'  It  was  not  revenge,"  said  he  gently.  "  I  gave 
you  freedom  •  you  had  yourself  wished  it." 

Eugenie  now  stood  close  before  him.  The  word 
which  once  for  no  price  would  have  found  its  way 
through  her  lips  now  became  easy,  since  she  knew 
herself  beloved.  She  lifted  her  dark,  tear-moist 
eyes  imploringly  up  to  him. 

"  And  it  I  now  tell  my  husband  that  I  Avill  not 
have  this  freedom  without  him,  that  I  have  come 
back  to  share  all  with  him,  whatever  may  happen, 
that  I — have  learned  to  love  him — will  he  then  for 
the  second  time  bid  me  go  ?" 

She  received  no  answer,  at  least  none  in  words; 
but  she  was  already  clasped  in  his  arms :  and  in 
these  arms,  which  so  passionately  and  firmly  in- 
closed her  as  if  they  would  never  let  the  treasure 
won  at  last  go  from  them,  under  these  passionate 
caresses  Eugenie  felt  how  deeply  her  loss  must  have 
wounded  him  and  what  her  return  in  such  a  moment 
must  be  to  him. 

She  saw  the  uplighting  of  those  great  brown  eyes 
in  a  luster  such  as,  in  spite  of  all  those  other  light- 
ning-like gleams,  she  had  never  yet  seen  in  them. 
The  banished,  sunken  world  had  mounted  up  from 
its  abyss  to  the  clearest  sunlight,  and  the  young 
wife  must  indeed  have  had  a  suspicion  of  all  the 
treasures  which  it  had  in  store  for  her ;  for  with  an 
expression  of  the  most  entire  confidence  she  laid  her 
head  upon  her  husband's  breast  as,  bending  down, 
to  her,  he  said  softly  : 

"My  wife!    My  all  I" 


338  GOOD  LUCK. 

Through  the  open  window,  as  a  blessing  and  a 
greeting,  swayed  the  voices  of  the  green  wooded 
hills.  These  voices  must  have  blended  their  whispers 
with  this  newly  found  happiness,  for  they  had 
helped  bring  it  about.  They  had  long  known  they 
had  helped  to  bring  it  about.  For  those  solitary 
fir-crowned  hill-tops  had  long  known  these  two  as 
they  did  not  know  themselves;  when  both  stood 
arrayed  in  bitter  scorn  and  hostility  and  spoke  that 
word  of  separation — spoke  it  just  there  when  each 
heart  had  found  in  the  other  its  destiny. 

But  they  are  of  no  avail,  this  scorn  and  contention 
of  the  children  of  men,  if  with  their  loves  and  long- 
ings they  are  betrayed  within  the  spell  the  spirit  of 
the  mountain  throws  around  his  kingdom  in  the 
swaying  mists  of  the  first  spring  hours.  And  what 
there  unites  is  united  for  all  eternity ! 


GOOD  LUGK.  339 


CHAPTEK  XVIII. 

THE  day  which  for  the  Berkow  colony  had  begun 
so  tempestuously  ended  far  more  calmly  than  could 
have  been  expected  from  the  scenes  of  the  morning. 
One  unacquainted  with  the  circumstances  would 
perhaps  have  taken  the  tranquillity  which  toward 
evening  lay  over  the  works  for  the  deepest  repose ; 
and  still  it  was  only  the  lull  of  the  storm  which  re- 
strains itself  for  a  moment,  only  to  break  loose 
again  with  renewed  fury. 

In  the  overseer's  dwelling  also  reigned  that  dull, 
oppressive  stillness  which  concealed  so  much  calam- 
ity in  its  bosom.  The  overseer  sat  silent  in  his  arm- 
chair by  the  stove ;  Martha,  busied  in  her  household 
affairs,  went  to  and  fro,  and  every  now  and  then 
threw  a  glance  upon  Ulrich,  who  with  folded  arms 
paced  silentty  up  and  down  the  little  room.  No 
one  spoke  to  him  ;  he  spoke  to  none.  The  former 
confidences  which  from  the  ungovernable  character 
of  the  young  master-miner  had  often  enough  led  to 
violent  scenes  and  explosions,  but  just  as  often  had 
ended  in  reconciliation,  had  long  since  ceased.  Ul- 
rich now  ruled  within  the  house  absolutely  as  out- 
side of  it  among  his  comrades :  even  his  father  no 
longer  ventured  to  oppose  his  plans  and  undertak- 


340  GOOD  LUCK. 

ings ;  but  here,  as  there,  fear  was  the  impelling 
force ;  love  and  confidence  were  at  an  end. 

The  silence  had  alread}7  lasted  for  some  time,  and 
might  have  endured  still  longer  if  Lorenz  had  not 
entered.  Martha,  who  saw  him  from  the  window, 
met  him  at  the  door.  The  relations  between  this 
betrothed  couple  were  singularly  cold.  This  had 
been  a  serious,  eventful  day,  and  the  young  girl's 
greeting  might  have  been  warmer,  ought  perhaps  to 
have  been  warmer,  on  that  very  account.  The 
young  miner  seemed  to  feel  this,  for  his  face  assumed 
an  almost  offended  expression  and  he  paused  in  the 
midst  of  his  salutation  ;  but  Martha  did  not  remark 
either,  and  with  a  hasty  movement  he  turned  to 
Ulrich. 

"  Well .?"  asked  Ulrich,  pausing  in  his  walk. 

Lorenz  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"It  is  as  I  have  before  told  you.  To-morrow 
four  hundred  will  declare  themselves  ready  to  go  to 
work,  and  there  are  just  as  many  wavering  and 
hesitating  ones.  You  can  scarce  count  upon  half." 

Ulrich  did  not  fly  into  a  rage,  as  usually  upon 
such  occasions.  The  wild  passion  which  he  had 
this  morning  shown  when  he  had  learned  of  a  much 
smaller  defection  among  his  comrades  strangely 
contrasted  with  the  almost  unnatural  repose  of  his 
manner  as  he  replied  : 

"  Upon  scarce  half  ?  And  how  long  will  they  hold 
out?" 

Lorenz  evaded  a  direct  answer. 

"  It  is  entirely  the  younger  miners.     They  have 


GOOD  LUCK.  341 

stood  by  you  from  the  first  and  will  still  remain 
with  you,  even  if  there  should  be  another  conflict 
at  the  mines  to-morrow.  Ulrich,  will  you  really 
push  matters  so  far  ?" 

"  He  will  push  them  to  such  a  length,"  said  the 
overseer,  rising,  "that  the  men  will  all  fall  away 
from  him,  one  after  the  other,  until  at  last  he  re- 
mains quite  alone.  I  have  told  you,  Ulrich,  you 
could  not  succeed  with  your  senseless  demands  and 
your  senseless  hatred,  which  might  have  been  in 
place  with  the  father,  but  which  the  son  certainly 
has  not  deserved.  What  he  offered  you  was  enough, 
that  I  tell  you — I,  who  have  worked  so  long  in  the 
mines  and  know  how  to  sympathize  with  my  com- 
rades. Most  miners  would  gladty  have  taken  what 
has  been  offered  to  ours,  but  they  have  been  so 
much  threatened  and  have  become  so  intimidated 
that  no  one  longer  ventures  to  lift  a  hand,  because 
Ulrich  has  put  it  into  their  heads  to  demand  im- 
possibilities. Now  for  weeks  long  this  has  been 
going  on;  and  yet  all  this  misery,  anxiety,  and 
need  has  been  in  vain.  There  must  at  last  come  a 
day  when  wife  and  children,  with  their  hunger,  will 
rise  above  all  else.  And  that  day  has  now  come. 
You  have  brought  all  this  upon  us,  Ulrich — you 
alone  ;  now  make  an  end  of  it." 

The  old  man  had  risen  and  now  gazed  almost 
threateningly  at  his  son,  but  Ulrich,  with  sullen 
composure,  endured  this  silent  reproach,  which  at 
another  time  might  have  called  forth  all  his  rage. 

"  I  must  not  quarrel  with  you,  father,"  he  re- 


342  GOOD  LUCK. 

turned  coldly  :  "  that  I  have  long  known.  You 
are  content  if  you  can  eat  your  hard  bread  in  peace, 
and  all  which  lies  beyond  that  you  call  folly 
and  wickedness.  I  have  ventured  all.  I  thought  I 
could  carry  this  through,  and  I  should  have  done  it 
if  young  Berkow  had  not  all  at  once  risen  up  and 
showed  us  a  brow  of  iron.  If  it  now  fails — well.  I 
am  still  sure  of  half  ray  comrades,  as  Carl  says ; 
and  with  these  I  will  show  him  what  conquering  us 
means  He  shall  pay  dearly  enough  for  the 
victory." 

The  overseer  looked  up  to  Lorenz,  who  stood 
there  with  bowed  head,  without  taking  part  in  the 
conversation  ;  then  he  turned  to  his  son. 

*'  First  see  if  the  half  will  remain  true  to  you 
when  the  chief  again  steps  between  you  as  he  did 
to-day  noon.  This  has  cost  you  the  other  half, 
Ulrich.  Do  you  think  it  has  not  had  its  effect — 
the  manner  in  which  he  has  borne  himself  from  the 
very  day  you  began  to  threaten  him  ?  Do  you 
think  the}7  do  not  all  feel  that  he  is  a  match  for  you 
and  them,  and  that  he  alone  must  of  necessity 
control  them  when  you  once  cease  to  be  their 
master  ?  This  morning  some  of  them  for  the  first 
time  went  back  to  their  work :  they  would  have 
done  so  three  weeks  ago  if  they  had  dared.  Now 
that  the  beginning  is  made,  there  will  be  no  more 
pause." 

"  You  may  be  right,  father,"  said  Ulrich  sullenly : 
"  there  will  be  no  more  pause.  I  have  built  upon 
them  as  upon  the  rock,  and  they  have  proved 


GOOD  LUCK.  343 

wretched  sand,  which  melts  away  beneath  my 
hands.  Berkow  has  learned  how  to  cajole  these 
cowards :  with  his  eloquence,  with  his  accursed 
manner,  to  step  among  them  as  if  there  was  never 
a  stone  which  might  be  hurled  against  his  forehead, 
never  a  mallet  which  in  extremities  might  hit  the 
high-born  chief ;  and  therefore  no  one  ventures  to 
attack  him.  I  know  why  to-day  he  all  at  once 
carried  his  head  so  high — why  he  rushed  into  the 
midst  of  the  tumult  with  an  air  as  if  victory  and  hap- 
piness could  no  longer  fail  him  ;  and  I  also  know  that 
both  have  now  come  back  to  him — I  myself  this 
morning  conducted  them  to  his  arms." 

The  last  words  were  lost  by  the  violent  closing 
of  the  door  which  he  had  meantime  opened.  No 
one  understood  them.  Ulrich  stepped  out  into  the 
open  air  and  threw  himself  down  upon  the  bench. 
It  was  a  weird,  unnatural  repose  which  had  fallen 
over  him  to-day.  It  seemed  almost  painful  in  a 
man  so  accustomed  to  give  loose  rein  to  his  wild 
passion.  Whether  the  desertion  of  his  comrades 
had  so  affected  him  or  whether  it  was  something 
far  different  which  since  this  morning  had  come 
over  him,  we  cannot  say  :  the  proud  certainty  of 
victory  which  he  had  as  yet  shown  at  every  hour 
appeared  now  weakened,  almost  destroyed. 

Over  past  the  little  garden  flowed  the  wide  stream 
which  further  on  drove  the  wheels  of  the  works 
now  standing  still.  It  was  a  wild,  treacherous 
stream,  this  brook ;  it  had  nothing  of  the  gentle 


344.  GOOD  LUCK. 

murmurs,  the  silver-clear  glances  of  its  comrades  up 
in  the  mountains  ;  and  still  it  came  forth  from  the 
depths  of  those  mountains,  just  there  where  the 
mines  lay.  How  often  had  it  sought  to  draw  inno- 
cent, playing  children  into  its  torrent,  and  at  least 
to  frighten  and  torment  where  it  could  not  wound 
and  kill ;  to  revenge  itself  because  man  had  made  it 
a  servant  to  execute  his  will.  With  a  threatening 
murmur  the  mad,  restless  waters  had  dashed  on  in 
the  last  evening  twilight,  and  still  more  ominous 
now  rang  out  their  voice.  They  hissed  mockingly 
and  maliciously,  as  if  down  in  their  depths  they  had 
learned  of  the  earth-demons  those  perfidious  wiles 
with  which  they  lure  to  death  the  men  who  would 
fain  wrest  from  them  their  secrets ;  as  if  they,  too, 
would  demand  as  their  sacrifice  young,  glowing, 
hopeful  lives,  and  bury  them  in  the  eternal  night  of 
their  rayless  caves.  It  was  nothing  good  which 
rang  out  of  it — this  rushing  and  roaring  of  the 
waters,  and  it  was  in  no  good  hour  that  this  weird 
murmur  fell  upon  the  young  miner's  ear.  Immov- 
able he  stared  down  into  those  depths  as  if  a 
mysterious  voice  were  calling  to  him. 

He  must  have  sat  there  for  a  long  time,  when  he 
heard  a  step  approaching,  and  immediately  after 
Martha  stood  before  him. 

""What  do  you  wish?"  asked  Ulrich,  without 
turning  his  glance  from  the  stream. 

"  I  wished  to  see  where  you  were,  Ulrich." 

There  seemed  to  be  a  restrained  anguish  in  the 
girl's  voice. 


OOOD  LUCK.  345 

"Where  I  was?  Your  betrothed  husband  is  in 
the  house ;  for  him  you  should  care.  Leave  me 
where  I  ain." 

"Carl  has  gone  already,"  said  Martha  quickly, 
"  and  he  best  knows  that  what  I  say  to  you  need 
not  concern  him." 

Ulrich  turned  and  looked  at  her.  It  seemed  as  if 
he  would  break  loose  from  the  thoughts  the  rushing 
of  the  waters  awoke  in  him. 

"  Listen,  Martha,"  he  said  :  "  no  one  else  would 
bear  from  you  what  Carl  bears.  I  cannot  allow 
you  to  meet  me  in  this  manner.  You  should  not 
have  said  yes  if  you  did  not  love  him." 

With  a  gesture  almost  of  scorn  the  young  girl 
turned  away. 

"  He  knows  that  I  do  not  love  him.  I  told  him 
so  when  I  gave  him  my  promise.  He  understands 
all  this.  I  cannot  change,  at  least  not  now.  Perhaps 
after  marriage  I  shall  learn  to  love  him." 

"  Perhaps  /"  said  Ulrich,  in  a  tone  too  deep  and 
cutting  to  refer  merely  to  these  words.  "  So  many 
others  learn  this  after  marriage,  and  why  not 
you  F 

Again  he  gazed  down  into  the  dark,  raging 
waters  as  if  he  could  not  break  loose  from  its  spell. 
That  on-rushing  tide,  in  its  wild,  unearthly  mur- 
murs, seemed  to  whisper  very  evil  thoughts  to  him. 

Martha  stood  some  few  steps  from  him,  for  she 
was  not  quite  free  from  the  fear  which  since  that 
accident  in  the  mines  Ulrich  had  inspired  in  all. 
For  weeks  she  had  avoided  every  association,  every 


346  GOOD  LUCK. 

solitary  interview  with  Ulrich ;  but  to-day  the  old 
love  had  awakened  mightily  within  her  soul  and 
had  driven  her  almost  forcibly  to  him.  This  strange 
calm  did  not  deceive  her :  she  suspected  what  lay 
behind  it. 

"  You  cannot  get  over  the  desertion  of  your  com- 
rades ?"  asked  she  gently.  "  Half  of  them  yet  re- 
main true  to  you,  and  Carl  will  stand  by  you  to  the 
last  minute." 

Ulrich  smiled  disdainfully. 

"  To-day  it  is  half,  to-morrow  it  will  be  a  quarter, 
and  day  after  to-morrow — let  it  rest,  Martha.  As 
for  Lorenz,  he  has  from  the  first  been  with  me  only 
with  half  a  heart.  He  has  stood  by  me.  and  not  by 
the  revolt,  because  I  was  his  friend ;  but  there  will 
soon  be  an  end  of  friendship.  Besides,  his  heart  is 
so  much  engrossed  in  you  that  he  cannot  now  hon- 
orably love  me." 

"  Ulrich  !"  said  the  young  girl  with  a  passionate 
gesture. 

"Well,  that  can  no  longer  wound  you.  You 
would  not  consent  when  I  begged  you  to  be  my 
wife.  If  you  had,  it  would  have  been  far  better." 

"  It  would  not  have  been  better,"  said  Martha 
decidedly.  "  I  am  not  made  to  endure  what  Carl 
so  patiently  endures  day  after  day  ;  and  as  it  is  be- 
tween him  and  me,  it  would  have  been  between  us 
two,  only  it  would  have  been  I  who  must  endure. 
I  had  no  share  in  your  heart ;  your  love  was  wholly 
another's." 

There  lay  a  bitter  reproach  in  the  words,  but 


GOOD  LUGS'.  347 

even  this  did  not  enrage  Ulrich  to-day.  He  had 
risen  and  was  looking  over  to  the  darkening  park 
as  if  he  sought  some  object  between  the  trees. 

"  You  think  I  could  have  found  this  love  nearer 
and  better  if  I  had  only  sought  it;  and  there  you 
are  right.  But  one  does  not  seek  this,  Martha :  it 
suddenly  seizes  one  and  does  not  release  him  while 
a  breath  remains  in  his  breast.  I  have  learned  this. 
I  have  done  you  wrong,  girl — how  great  wrong  I 
now  know  for  the  first  time ;  but  believe  me  there 
is  no  blessing  in  such  a  love  as  mine  ;  it  often  op- 
presses one  more  heavily  than  the  bitterest  hatred." 

It  sounded  strangely,  this  half-entreat}7  for  for- 
giveness in  the  mouth  of  Ulrich  Hartmann,  who 
usually  asked  little  whether  he  had  done  one  wrong 
or  no  ;  and  there  was  something  else  in  the  words 
which  lay  infinitely  far  from  his  character — a  dumb 
resignation,  a  sorrow  which  no  longer  had  anything 
wild  or  passionate,  but  which  on  that  account  was 
so  much  the  more  touching.  Martha  forgot  timid- 
ity and  fear  ;  she  stepped  close  to  his  side. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you,  Ulrich  ?  You  are 
so  strange  to-day,  as  I  have  never  before  seen  you. 
What  is  wanting  to  you  ?" 

He  stroked  the  blond  hair  from  his  temples  and 
leaned  for  support  against  the  wooden  fence. 

"  I  do  not  know.  An  undefined  something  has 
oppressed  me  the  whole  day  long — a  something 
from  which  I  cannot  free  myself  and  which  robs 
me  of  all  my  strength.  I  certainly  shall  need  all 
this  strength  to-morrow  ;  but  whenever  I  would 


348  GOOD  LUCK 

think  of  it  everything  grows  black  and  obscure,  as  if 
nothing  lay  beyond  this  to-morrow,  as  if  with  it  all 
was  at  an  end — all !"  With  a  touch  of  his  old  ob- 
stinacy Ulrich  started  up.  "  Idiotic  thoughts !  I 
believe  the  water  down  there  has  done  all  this  to 
me  with  its  accursed  roaring.  And  I  have  just  now 
time  to  listen.  Farewell." 

He  was  about  to  go,  but  the  girl  anxiously  held 
him  back. 

"  Where  will  you  go?     To  your  comrades?" 

"  No.  I  must  take  one  more  walk  alone.  Fare- 
well." 

"  Ulrich,  stay,  I  implore  you  !" 

The  young  miner's  short-lived  weakness  was  al- 
ready over.  He  broke  impatiently  away. 

"  Let  me  go !  I  have  no  time  to  talk  with  you — 
some  other  day !" 

He  burst  open  the  garden  gate  and  shortly  after 
vanished  in  the  twilight  of  the  way  leading  to  the 
park. 

Martha  stood  there  with  folded  hands  and  gazed 
after  him.  Mortification  and  bitter  sorrow  strug- 
gled in  her  features,  but  grief  still  held  the  mastery. 
"  There  is  no  blessing  in  ruch  love !"  The  words 
yet  again  echoed  in  her  heart ;  she  also  felt  that 
there  was  no  blessing  in  hers. 

Meantime  Eugenie  Berkow  found  herself  alone  in 
her  husband's  cabinet.  There  remained  to  this 
husband  and  wife  but  little  time  to  give  themselves 
up  to  love  and  to  love's  happiness.  Twice  already 
bad  Arthur  been,  forced  to  leave  her  side :  to-day 


GOOD  LUCE.  349 

noon,  when  he  had  thrown  himself  into  the  midst 
of  the  revolt  and  for  the  moment  had  overpowered 
it ;  and  now  again,  when  a  conference  with  his  offi- 
cers summoned  him  away.  But  in  spite  of  her 
uneasiness  about  him,  in  spite  of  her  anxiety 
in  regard  to  the  present,  still  so  dark  and  threat- 
ening, the  young  wife's  face  glowed  with  the 
reflection  of  a  deep  inward  happiness  which,  won 
after  so  long  a  conflict,  no  longer  trembled  before 
any  outward  storm.  She  was  with  her  husband,  at 
his  side,  in  his  protection  ;  and  Arthur  seemed  only 
too  well  to  understand  how  to  make  his  wife  forget 
all  else  but  him. 

A  door  was  opened  and  steps  were  heard  in  the 
adjoining  room.  Eugenie  rose  hastily  to  greet  the 
new-comer,  whom  she  naturally  supposed  to  be  her 
husband,  but  her  first  astonishment  at  sight  of  the 
strange  form  yielded  to  terror  as  in  the  man  who 
entered  she  recognized  Ulrich  Hartmann. 

He  also'  paused  in  astonishment  as  he  became 
aware  of  her  presence. 

"  Is  it  you,  my  lady  ?     I  seek  Herr  Berkow." 

'  He  is  not  here.  I  was  just  now  expecting  him," 
replied  Eugenie  quickty,  but  with  trembling  voice. 

She  knew  what  a  dangerous  man  this  was  for 
Arthur — what  r  le  he  played  here  upon  the  works ; 
still  she  had  not  hesitated  to  confide  herself  to  his 
protection  when  this  morning  no  other  choice  had 
remained  to  her ;  but  between  this  morning  and 
evening  lay  those  hours  in  which  she  had  heard  the 
accusations  the  chief  engineer  had  made  against 


350  GOOD  LUCK. 

him.  It  was  only  a  suspicion,  but  even  the  suspi- 
cion of  the  treacherous,  under-handed  murder  of  a 
defenseless  man  is  something  terrible.  The  very 
thought  of  it  had  filled  this  young  woman  with 
horror.  She  had  confided  herself  to  the  open,  reck 
less  enemy  of  her  husband,  but  she  drew  back  shud- 
dering from  the  hand  which  perhaps  was  red  with 
the  blood  of  Arthur's  father. 

Ulrich  remarked  this  movement  only  too  well. 
He  remained  standing  upon  the  threshold,  but  there 
was  an  unmistakable  irony  in  his  voice  as  he  said  : 

"  I  have  perhaps  frightened  you  with  my  en- 
trance ?  It  was  not  my  fault  that  I  did  not  have 
myself  announced.  Your  ladyship  is  badly  served. 
I  found  none  of  your  lackeys  either  on  the  stairs  or 
in  the  corridors.  I  might  perhaps  have  thrust  them 
aside  had  they  refused  me  entrance,  but  their  out- 
cry at  this  would  have  been  a  sort  of  announce- 
ment." 

Eugenie  knew  that  he  could  have  entered  un- 
hindered. Franz  and  Anton,  at  Arthurs  express 
command,  were  in  the  anteroom  of  her  own  apart- 
ments. Now,  when  all  minds  were  excited,  when 
all  the  bands  of  order  were  loosened,  he  did  not 
know  but  the  lawlessness  of  some  might  lead  to  an 
attack,  or  at  least  an  intrusion  into  the  house.  Un- 
rest and  anxiety  had  driven  the  young  wife  over  to 
her  husband's  chamber,  which  lay  in  the  other  wing, 
and  from  whose  windows  she  could  see  him  coming. 
Here,  in  truth,  the  entrance  was  unguarded  ;  and 
she  was  entirely  alone  in  these  rooms. 


GOOD  LUCK.  351 

"  What  do  you  wish  here,  Hartraann  ?"  she  asked, 
summoning  all  her  courage.  "I  did  not  suppose 
that  after  all  which  has  happened  you  would  seek 
to  enter  our  house,  and  even  intrude  yourself  into 
the  apartment  of  your  chief.  You  must  know  that 
he  no  longer  can  receive  you." 

"  It  is  for  that  very  reason  I  seek  him  to  speak  a 
few  words  with  him.  I  expected  to  find  him  alone. 
It  was  not  you  I  sought,  your  ladyship." 

At  the  last  words  he  had  stepped  nearer.  Eugenie 
involuntarily  drew  back  to  the  furthest  part  of  the 
room.  He  laughed  bitterly. 

"  Can  a  few  hours  have  made  such  a  change  ? 
This  morning  you  demanded  my  protection  and 
leaned  upon  my  arm  as  I  conducted  you  through 
the  tumult:  now  you  flee  from  me  as  if  near  me 
you  were  not  sure  of  your  life.  Herr  Berkow  has 
well  employed  the  time  to  represent  me  to  you  as  a 
robber  and  a  murderer — has  he  not  ?" 

The  young  woman's  delicate  brows  contracted  as, 
subduing  her  fear,  she  sternly  replied  : 

"  Leave  me  !  My  husband  is  not  here  !  You  see 
this ;  and  even  if  he  were  to  come  now  I  should 
hardly  like  to  leave  you  alone  with  him." 

"  Why  not  ?"  asked  Ulrich  slowly,  but  with  a 
lowering  glance.  "  AVhy  not  ?"  repeated  he  more 
passionately,  as  she  was  silent. 

Eugenie's  fearless  character  had  often  betrayed 
her  into  inconsiderate  expressions,  and  even  now 
she  did  not  think  of  the  possible  consequences  of 
her  words  as,  firmly  returning  his  glance,  she  was 
hurried  on  to  give  this  dangerous  answer : 


352  UOOD  LUCK. 

"  Because  your  nearness  has  already  proved  fatal 
to  a  Berkow." 

Hartraann  shuddered  and  turned  pale.  For  a 
moment  it  seemed  as  if  he  would  break  forth  into 
all  his  old  savagery,  but  it  did  not  happen.  The 
dumb  repose  remained  upon  his  features,  and  his 
voice  retained  the  masked,  hollow  tone  it  had  had 
during  the  whole  interview. 

"  Ah,  that  was  it  ?"  said  he  half-aloud.  "  Truly, 
I  might  have  thought  that  this  at  last  had  found  its 
way  to  you." 

The  young  woman  looked  with  surprise  upon  this 
calmness,  which  she  had  not  expected  here,  and 
which,  in  spite  of  all,  seemed  unnatural  to  her ;  but 
even  this  incited  her  to  a  still  greater  venture.  This 
morning  he  had  shown  her  how  unlimited  was  her 
power,  and  for  Arthur's  sake  she  wished  to  be  cer- 
tain as  to  who  stood  opposed  to  him  in  this  conflict. 
She  had  a  presentiment  that  the  truth,  eveh  if  con- 
cealed from  all  the  world  besides,  would  not  be  de- 
nied her. 

"  You  must  know  what  I  mean  ?"  she  began  anew. 
"You  understand  my  hint?  Hartmann,  can  you 
pronounce  the  reports  false  which  since  that  un- 
happy hour  have  been  connected  with  your  name?" 

He  crossed  his  arms  and  gazed  morosely  at  the 
floor. 

"  And  even  if  I  did,  would  you  believe  me  ?" 

Eugenie  was  silent. 

"  Would  you  believe  me  ?"  he  asked  yet  again,  but 
with  a  tone  as  if  life  and  death  for  him  hung  upon 
her  answer. 


GOOD  LUCK.  353 

She  let  her  glance  sweep  over  his  face,  which  be- 
trayed the  same  agonized  suspense  as  his  voice.  It 
was  still  deathly  pale,  this  face,  but  it  was  now 
again  fully  turned  toward  her. 

"  I  hold  you  capable  of  crime  when  your  passion- 
ate nature  is  aroused,  but  not  of  falsehood." 

Ulrica's  powerful  breast  rose  and  fell  under  its 
deep  pulsations,  and  as  if  to  relieve  her  fears  he 
stepped  back. 

"  As  it  is  you  who  ask,  my  lady,  I  will  answer." 

The  young  woman  trembled  and  leaned  for  sup- 
port on  the  arm  of  the  divan.  She  felt  the  danger 
of  such  an  interview  with  such  a  man,  but  still  she 
put  the  momentous  question. 

"  They  declare  to  my  husband  that  it  was  more 
than  a  mere  accident  which  caused  the  rope  to  break 
on  that  unlucky  day.  What  was  it,  Hartmann  ?" 

"  It  was  accident,  or  rather  it  was  something  bet- 
ter, if  you  will  force  me  to  say  it — it  was  retribu- 
tion. Our  chief  had  caused  a  change  to  be  made  in, 
the  elevator,  which,  like  all  he  did,  was  for  neces- 
sity, not  for  security.  What  mattered  it  if  a  few 
hundreds  of  miners,  who  must  every  day  go  up  and 
down  this  elevator,  were  every  day  exposed  to  dan- 
ger ?  Double  and  treble  what  it  was  able  to  bear 
was  demanded  of  the  senseless  thing,  and  it  at  last 
had  its  revenge,  but  not  upon  the  workmen — it  was 
upon  the  chief  himself.  It  was  not  a  human  hand, 
your  ladyship,  which  made  the  rope  break  just  at 
that  moment  when  it  must  bear  its  weight ;  and  it 
was  mine  least  of  all.  I  saw  the  danger  coming: 


354  GOOD  LUCK 

we  were  already  at  the  last  platform ;  I  made  a 
spring  upward,  and " 

"  Pushed  him  back  ?"  interrupted  Eugenie  breath- 
lessly as  he  paused. 

"  No  !  I  only  let  him  fall.  I  could  have  rescued 
him  if  I  had  wished.  A  half-minute  was  time 
enough  for  that.  In  truth,  it  might  have  cost  my 
own  life  ;  he  might  have  pulled  me  down  with  him 
if  I  had  come  to  his  help :  but  for  every  one  of  my 
comrades,  for  every  one  of  the  officers,  I  would  have 
risked  this ;  for  that  man  I  would  not.  At  that 
moment  all  he  had  done  to  us  shot  through  my 
brain.  I  thought  that  the  fate  to  which,  for  the 
sake  of  sparing  his  money,  he  every  [day  exposed 
us  was  only  coming  to  him,  and  I  would  not  inter- 
fere with  the  just  retribution  of  Heaven.  In  spite 
of  his  outcries  I  did  not  lift  my  hand,  and  a  minute 
after  it  was  too  late.  The  elevator  fell  and  he  with 
it." 

Hartmann  was  silent.  Eugenie  in  mingled  hor- 
ror and  sympathy  gazed  up  at  him.  She  knew  only 
too  well  that  his  accusations  against  the  dead  were 
just,  and  she  felt  that  even  if  she  herself  at  such  an 
hour  might  have  put  forth  her  hand  to  rescue  the 
hated  Berkow,  tjie  man  before  her  had  been  tried 
past  forgiveness  or  forgetful  ness.  He  had  but  let 
his  enemy  perish  before  his  eyes  when  perhaps  at 
the  peril  of  his  own  life  he  might  have  rescued  him. 

"Have  you  told  me  the  whole  truth,  Hartmann?" 
she  asked.  "  Upon  your  word  and  honor  ?" 

"Upon  my  word  and  my  honor,  your  ladyship!" 


GOOD  LUCK.  355 

His  eyes  sullenly  yet  firmly  met  hers.  The  young 
woman  no  longer  doubted  as  she  reproachfully 
asked : 

"  And  why  did  you  not  solve  this  mystery  ?  Why 
did  you  not  speak  to  others  as  you  have  to  me  ?" 

An  expression  of  bitter  disdain  passed  over  his 
face. 

"  Because  no  one  would  have  believed  me — not  a 
single  one,  not  even  my  father.  He  is  quite  right. 
I  have  been  wild  and  uncontrollable  beyond  all 
measure  my  whole  life  long.  I  have  thrown  down 
all  which  stood  in  my  way  and  never  troubled  my- 
self as  to  what  others  said  of  me ;  that  I  must  now 
confess.  They  all  know  that  I  hated  the  dead  man, 
and  as  the  accident  happened  when  I  was  near  I 
knew  they  would  lay  it  to  me.  There  was  no  doubt 
of  that.  My  own  father  said  it  to  my  face  ;  and  as 
I  could  not  say  'Yes'  when  he  asked  me  if  I  was 
entirely  innocent  of  Berkow's  death — I  had  only  to 
stretch  forth  my  arm  to  rescue  him  and  I  did  not 
do  it — as  I  could  not  say  *  Yes,'  he  would  not  hear 
another  word  from  me.  He  would  not  have  be- 
lieved me  even  upon  my  oath.  I  have  now  and 
then  sought  to  convince  my  comrades  of  my  inno- 
cence, and  although  they  did  not  contradict  me,  I 
saw  in  their  faces  that  they  considered  me  a  liar. 
I  would  not  sue  for  their  confidence,  so  I  let  things  go 
as  they  would.  I  retained  their  friendship  and 
comeradeship  all  the  same.  If  I  had  been  arrested 
by  process  of  law  I  should  certainly  have  spoken, 
but  it  would  still  have  been  questionable  whether 
any  one  believed  me." 


356  GOOD  LUCK. 

Eugenie  shook  her  head. 

"  You  should  have  forced  them  to  believe  you, 
Hartraann,  and  they  would  have  done  it  if  you  had 
only  seriously  demanded  it,  but  your  pride  and  ob- 
stinacy would  not  suffer  this.  You  met  the  suspi- 
cion with  disdain,  and  that  very  thing  strengthened 
it.  Now  you  are  suspected  throughout  the  works, 
by  the  officers,  by  my  husband — 

"  What  do  I  care  for  Herr  Berkow  ?"  he  inter- 
posed roughly.  "What  for  all  the  rest?  Whether 
they  condemn  me  or  not,  it  is  all  the  same  to  me. 
But  I  could  not  bear,  my  lady,  to  have  you  turn 
from  me  in  fear  and  detestation  ;  from  you  alone  I 
could  not  bear  it ;  and  you  believe  me  now.  I  see 
it  in  your  eyes.  I  am  perfectly  indifferent  to  the 
rest." 

"  I  believe  you,"  said  Eugenie  gravely,  "  and  I 
will  see  that  my  husband  exculpates  you  from  the 
worst  suspicion  at  least.  We  must  not  judge  you 
for  not  saving  life  where  you  might  have  saved  it ; 
for  that  you  are  answerable  to  your  own  conscience. 
But  Arthur  shall  no  longer  believe  that  the  mur- 
derer of  his  father  stands  opposed  to  him.  It  is  cer- 
tainly too  late  for  reconciliation.  You  have  gone 
too  far.  For  the  first  time,  two  hours  ago  I  learned 
all  that  had  happened,  all  that  perhaps  would  hap- 
pen if  the  attack  upon  the  mines  is  renewed  to- 
morrow. Hartmann  " — the  young  woman  thought- 
lessly approached  him  and  imploringly  laid  her 
hand  upon  his  arm — "  Hartmann,  we  stand  upon 
the  brink  of  a  fearful  catastrophe.  You  have 


GOOD  LUCK.  357 

forced  my  husband  to  protect  himself  and  his  from 
danger,  and  he  has  concluded  so  to  do.  To-morrow 
morning  blood  will  flow,  must  flow  ;  reflect  upon 
whom  the  responsibility  will  fall." 

Her  nearness,  her  hand  upon  his  arm,  did  not  fail 
of  their  effect  upon  Ulrich,  but  this  effect  was  no 
salutary  one.  His  voice  lost  more  and  more  its 
calm,  indifferent  tone  as  he  answered  : 

"  Upon  me,  do  you  think?  Have  a  care,  my 
lady  !  It  might  also  fall  upon  you  if  it  harmed  the 
one  you  love.  Herr  Berkow  certainly  will  not  re- 
main here  in  the  house  if  there  is  fighting  outside ; 
that  I  know,  and  I  also  know  whom  I  shall  first 
seek  when  the  conflict  breaks  out." 

Eugenie  had  tremblingly  withdrawn  her  hand 
and  retreated  from  him.  She  heard  this  tone,  and 
at  the  same  time  saw  a  glance  which  warned  her. 
He  was  always  the  uncontrollable  tiger  who  one 
moment  listened  to  her  voice,  perhaps  the  next  to 
rise  against  her  in  the  whole  terrible  might  of  his 
rage  ;  and  the  moment  seemed  to  have  come ;  that 
glance  threatened  even  her. 

"  Hartmann,  you  speak  with  the  wife  of  your 
chief !"  she  cried  with  an  unavailing  effort  to  re- 
cover her  self-possession.  "If  you  hate  him " 

"  The  chief  ?"  interrupted  he  with  wild  irony. 
"  It  matters  not  with  whom  I  at  the  head  of  my  com- 
rades have  to  deal.  It  is  Arthur  Berkow  I  hate, 
because  you  are  his  wife,  because  you  love  him,  and 
I — I  love  you,  Eugenie,  more  than  all  else  in  the 
wide  world  !  Do  not  be  so  horrified  at  this ;  you 


358  GOOD  LUCK. 

must  have  known  it  long  ago  ;  I  could  not  help  it 
from  the  first  moment  I  saw  37ou.  I  have  tried  by 
force  to  crush  and  annihilate  this  love,  but  I  could 
not.  I  cannot  to-day,  even  though  I  again  feel 
more  than  ever  the  old  truth  that  only  equal  must 
unite  with  equal,  and  that  for  the  like  of  us  there 
can  remain  nothing  but  an  aristocratic  shrug  of  the 
shoulder,  even  though  we  have  periled  life  for  her 
we  love.  But  if  a  life  is  again  in  peril,  I  am  not  the 
one  so  senselessly  to  expose  my  own  as  I  did  under 
the  hoofs  of  your  horses  when  you  came  here  on 
your  wedding-journey  ;  for  that,  another  life  must 
be  risked  than  mine.  I  have  already  hated  a  Ber- 
kow  to  the  death.  I  then  believed  I  could  hate  no 
man  on  earth  so  bitterly  :  now  I  know  better.  I 
have  not  yet  been  guilty  of  murder,  but  there  is  one 
I  could  murder,  one  only  !  I  did  not  kill  the  father, 
but  if  I  should  ever  be  thus  alone  with  the  son, 
then  it  would  be  he  or  I — or  both  !" 

It  was  terrible,  this  moment,  when  the  passion  of 
this  man,  mounting  almost  to  madness,  burst  its 
barriers — an  impetuous,  devastating  torrent  which 
nothing  could  any  longer  dam  or  restrain.  Eugenie 
saw  that  here  any  word,  any  outcry,  would  be  too 
late,  and  felt  that  her  power  was  at  an  end.  She 
could  not  fly  :  he  stood  in  the  way  to  the  door;  but 
she  hastened  to  the  bell-pull  and  rang  with  all  her 
might.  The  servants  were  in  the  other  wing,  but 
still  it  might  be  possible  for  the  sound  to  reach 
them. 

Hartmann    had    followed    her.    He  sought    to 


GOOD  LUCK.  359 

snatch  her  hand  from  the  bell-wire,  but  at  the  same 
moment  he  was  seized  by  an  arm  to  which  indigna- 
tion now  lent  strength  to  hurl  aside  this  giant  fig- 
ure as  if  it  had  been  that  of  a  child.  It  was  Arthur 
who  stood  between  them,  and  with  an  outcry  of 
joy,  but  also  of  mortal  terror,  Eugenie  fled  to  her 
husband.  She  knew  what  must  now  come. 

Ulrich  rushed  forward  without  a  word,  but  with 
features  so  distorted  by  rage  as  to  be  past  recogni- 
tion. That  which  now  flamed  up  in  his  eyes  as  they 
met  his  rival  betokened  inevitable  destruction  ;  but 
Arthur,  with  ready  presence  of  mind,  had  taken 
down  a  pistol  which  hung  over  his  writing-desk, 
and  throwing  his  left  arm  around  his  wife,  with  the 
right  he  pointed  the  deadly  weapon  toward  his  rival. 

"  Back,  Ilartmann  !  Do  no  again  venture  to  ap- 
proach !  One  more  step  toward  my  wife,  a  single 
one,  and  you  lie  upon  the  floor !" 

The  threatened  man  paused.  In  spite  of  the  fury 
with  which  he  was  about  to  rush  forward,  he  saw 
that  the  muzzle  of  the  weapon  pointed  directly  at 
him  and  that  the  hand  which  held  it  did  not 
tremble.  If  he  took  another  step  forward  he  would 
be  shot  and  his  rival  remain  conqueror.  He  clinched 
his  unarmed  right  hand. 

"  I  have  no  pistol,"  said  he,  gnashing  his  teeth. 
"If  I  had,  then  we  should  stand  equal  against 
equal,  Herr  Chief  ;  but  certainly  we  never  have  stood 
thus.  You  have  better  prepared  yourself  than  I. 
I  have  only  my  fist  to  place  against  your  ball,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  which  would  do  the  quickest 
work." 


300  GOOD  LUCK. 

Arthur  did  not  take  his  eyes  from  him. 

"  It  is  your  doing,  Hartmann,"  he  said,  "  that  we 
must  now  always  have  loaded  weapons  in  our  hands. 
I  will  at  least  protect  my  house  and  my  wife  against 
you,  even  if  it  costs  your  life.  Back,  I  tell  you 
once  again !" 

There  was  once  more  that  same  steady,  unflinch- 
ing glance  from  both  men  as  at  their  first  interview, 
when  each  appeared  to  measure  the  other's 
strength  ;  and  now  as  then  the  young  chief  re- 
mained conqueror,  though  things  had  now  gone  so 
far  that  he  needed  other  weapons  than  his  eyes 
alone.  He  stood  there  immovable  as  yet,  his  finger 
upon  the  lock  of  the  pistol,  and  with  the  same 
glance  as  at  t'hat  former  meeting  he  followed  his 
rival  until  he  reached  the  door. 

"I  have  never  yet  placed  much  value  upon  my 
life,"  said  Ulrich  defiantly:  "I  think  you  both 
must  have  had  proof  of  this ;  but  I  will  not  allow 
myself  to  be  shot  down  upon  your  threshold.  I 
have  still  to  reckon  with  you,  sir.  Do  not  tremble 
so,  my  lady  !  You  are  in  his  arms  and  he  is  safe — 
now  he  is  safe,  but  we  are  not  yet  at  an  end.  And 
even  if  you  both  stood  there  as  if  nothing  could 
ever  sunder  you,  as  if  you  were  linked  one  to  the 
other  for  all  eternity,  still  some  time  my  hour 
would  come  ;  and  then,  then  you  would  think  of 
me !" 

He  went.  The  heavy  step  echoed  first  in  the 
adjoining  room,  then  in  the  antechamber ;  at  last  it 
died  away  outside.  The  young  wife  nestled  more 


GOOD  LUCK.  361 

closely  in  her  husband's  arms.  She  Lv:i  vow  proved 
in  what  manner  they  knew  how  to  jrizaio  her. 

"You  came  at  the  right  time,  Arthur/'  she  said, 
still  trembling  with  horror  at  the  cceiv.j  just  past. 
"  I  had  left  my  room  in  spite  of  your  warning:  it 
was  an  imprudence,  I  know  ;  but  I  wanted  to  await 
you  here,  and  I  believed  I  should  at  least  be  safe 
anywhere  in  the  house." 

Arthur  let  the  weapon  fall  and  drew  her  closer 
to  him. 

"  But  you  were  not,  you  have  just  learned,"  he 
said.  "  What  did  Hartmann  wish  here  in  my 
cabinet  ?" 

"  I  do  not  know.  He  sought  you,  but  evidently 
with  no  good  intention." 

"  I  am  prepared  for  all  that  may  happen  from 
this  side,"  Arthur  returned  calmly  as  he  laid  the 
pistol  on  the  writing-desk.  "  You  see  I  was  ready 
for  this  attack ;  but  I  fear  it  is  only  a  prelude  to  to- 
morrow, when  the  real  drama  begins.  Do  you 
tremble  before  it,  Eugenie?  The  help  I  have  sum- 
moned may  arrive  toward  evening,  but  we  shall 
have  to  hold  out  all  day  against  the  rioters." 

"  At  your  side  I  tremble  at  nothing  more.  But, 
Arthur" — here  her  voice  took  an  expression  of 
anguished  entreaty — "do  not  again  go  out  alone 
into  the  midst  of  the  uproar  as  you  did  to-day  noon. 
He  is  there  and  he  has  sworn  your  death." 

Arthur  gently  lifted  his  young  wife's  head  and 
gazed  deep  and  steadily  into  her  eyes. 

"  Life  and  death  are  not  in  Hartmann's  hands," 


362  GOOD  LUCK. 

he  said :  "  over  them  there  is  Another,  who  must 
decide.  Be  calm,  Eugenie  !  I  will  do  my  duty,  but 
I  shall  Jo  it  otherwise  than  in  all  these  days  before, 
for  I  now  know  that  my  wife  is  anxious  about  me. 
That  I  shall  not  easily  forget." 

Outside  upon  the  terrace  stood  Ulrich  Hartmann. 
The  twilight  had  deepened.  One  could  no  longer 
decide  as  to  the  expression  of  his  face  as  he  glanced 
in  the  windows  of  the  house  he  had  just  left,  but  his 
voice  betrayed  it.  Half-aloud,  as  an  oath,  he 
repeated  the  threat  he  had  before  hurled  at  Arthur 
Berkow : 

"  He  or  I,  or,  if  it  must  be — both  of  us !" 


GOOD  LUCK  363 


CHAPTEK  XIX. 

IT  had  come — the  morning  of  that  momentous 
day  to  which  Arthur  Berkow  and  all  connected 
with  his  interests  had  looked  forward  with  such 
anxious  foreboding.  And  their  most  serious  ap- 
prehensions seemed  about  to  be  realized. 

At  an  early  hour  all  the  officers  assembled  at  the 
house  of  their  chief.  They  might  have  come  to 
take  counsel  or  fear  might  have  driven  them  there. 
It  seemed  as  if  the  latter  were  the  impelling  motive, 
for  the  faces  of  the  gentlemen  were  pale  and 
agitated  and  their  manner  betrayed  great  anxiety. 

"  I  insist  that  it  was  a  mistake  to  imprison  the 
three  miners,"  declared  Ilerr  Schaffer  to  the  di- 
rector. "We  might  have  ventured  this  if  military 
assistance  had  been  at  hand,  but  we  never  should 
have  done  so  on  our  own  responsibility.  Now  they 
will  storm  the  house  to  free  the  prisoners,  and  we 
shall  have  to  give  them  up." 

"  Begging  your  pardon,  that  we  shall  not  do !" 
exclaimed  the  chief  engineer,  who,  as  usual,  placed 
himself  in  direct  opposition  to  his  colleague.  "  We 
will  endure  the  storm,  and,  if  necessary,  defend 
ourselves  here  in  the  house.  Herr  Berkow  has 
fully  decided  to  do  this." 


364  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Well,  you  certainly  must  best  know  his  de- 
cisions. You  are  his  sole  adviser,"  returned  the 
director,  somewhat  piqued. 

He  certainly  could  not  boast  of  a  similar  intimacy 
with  the  young  chief,  although  his  place  perhaps 
would  sooner  have  entitled  him  to  it. 

"Herr  Berkow  usually  forms  his  conclusions 
without  help  from  others,"  replied  the  chief  engi- 
neer dryly;  "  but  in  this  case  I,  as  usual,  fully  agree 
with  him.  It  would  have  been  against  law  and 
conscience,  it  would  have  been  pitiable  baseness  to 
let  these  three  rascals  go  free.  It  was  their  fixed 
intention  to  destroy  our  machines." 

"  At  Hartmann's  command,"  interposed  Schaffer. 

"  But  they  lent  themselves  to  its  execution.  The 
master  did  right  to  hinder  this  knavish  trick,  and  I 
would  like  to  see  the  man  who  in  such  a  case  would 
have  let  these  fellows  go  unpunished.  He  had 
them  shut  up,  and  he  was  right.  Hartmann  cer- 
tainly was  not  at  hand :  he  was  at  the  mines,  where 
the  excitement  was  already  at  its  height,  and 
where,  after  all,  he  could  not  hinder  the  workmen 
going  down,  because  his  own  father  withstood 
him." 

'*  Yes,  it  was  a  lucky  thing  that  the  overseer  came 
to  our  help,"  said  the  director.  "  He  must  have 
seen  that  no  other  means  was  left  him  to  prevent 
extreme  measures  when  he  this  morning,  of  his  own 
free  will,  offered  to  lead  the  workmen  to  the  mines, 
although  that  is  not  his  office.  He  knew  that, 
come  what  would,  his  son  would  not  attack  him, 


GOOD  LUCK.  365 

and  none  of  the  others  would  raise  a  hand  against 
their  comrades  when  they  saw  the  leader  quail. 
We  must  thank  the  old  man  solely  that  the  descent 
into  the  mines  has  been  really  accomplished." 

"  Yes,  I  admit  that  the  descent  has  been  accom- 
plished. More  than  half  the  miners  remained 
neutral,  and  if  they  had  not  been  enraged  by  the 
arrest  of  their  comrades  the  whole  thing  would 
have  passed  over  in  peace  and  tranquillity." 

"  In  peace  and  tranquillity  while  Hartmann  com- 
mands !"  laughed  the  chief  engineer  bitterly  :  "  you 
most  woefully  deceive  yourselves.  He  seeks  an  ex- 
cuse for  attack,  no  matter  what,  and  in  an  emer- 
gency would  have  made  it  without  any  excuse. 
The  events  of  this  morning  must  have  showed  him 
that  his  power  is  fast  declining — that  perhaps  he 
can  control  his  men  only  to-day,  and  therefore  he 
dares  all.  The  fellow  knows  that  he  is  lost  and 
recklessly  carries  with  him  into  ruin  all  who  follow 
him  from  fear  or  habit.  He  has  n6thing  more  for 
which  to  care  and  he  will  spare  us  least  of  all." 

They  were  interrupted  by  Herr  Wilberg,  who 
with  a  blanched  face  came  from  the  window  where 
he  had  posted  himself  for  the  last  ten  minutes. 

"  The  tumult  increases,"  he  said  timidly.  "  There 
is  no  doubt  that  they  intend  an  attack  upon  the 
house  if  Herr  JBerkow  does  not  yield.  The  park 
fence  is  already  down,  the  grounds  are  stamped  and 
trodden  over.  Ah,  the  magnificent  roses  upon  the 
terraces !" 

"  Keep  away  from  us  with  your  sentimentality  !" 


366  GOOD  LUCK. 

spoke  up  the  chief  engineer,  while  the  director  and 
Schaffer  hastened  to  the  window.  "Now,  when 
the  rebels  are  storming  the  house,  you  think  of  the 
down-trodden  rose-bushes.  Would  you  not  like  to 
withdraw  and  put  this  lament  over  the  roses  into 
verse  ?  I  should  think  it  would  be  just  the  right 
subject  for  a  poet." 

"I  have  lor  some  time  had  the  misfortune  of  ex- 
citing the  displeasure  of  the  Herr  Engineer  with  all 
I  say  and  do,"  returned  Herr  Wilberg,  offended,  but 
still  with  an  air  of  secret  self-satisfaction,  which 
seemed  to  rise  above  the  malice*of  his  superior. 

"  Because  you  neither  say  nor  do  anything  sen- 
sible," growled  the  engineer,  turning  his  back  to 
Herr  Wilberg  and  joining  his  colleagues,  who  from 
the  window  were  watching  the  ever-increasing 
tumult. 

"This  will  become  serious,"  said  the  director 
restlessly.  "They  are  threatening  the  entrance. 
We  must  inform  the  chief." 

"  Leave  him  in  peace  for  the  moment  at  least," 
interposed  the  chief  engineer.  "  I  thought  he  had 
remained  so  persistently  at  his  post  since  dawn  we 
might  now  allow  him  five  minutes  with  his  wife. 
The  necessary  measures  have  all  been  arranged,  and 
wherever  danger  is  there  he  will  be.  That  you 
must  know." 

The  officer  was  right.  Since  the  early  morning 
hours  Arthur  had  been  uninterruptedly  engaged  in 
giving  commands,  making  arrangements  and  per- 
sonal inspections,  and  had  now  for  a  few  minutes 


GOOD  LUCK.  367 

withdrawn  with  his  wife  into  an  adjoining  room. 
He  must  have  informed  her  of  the  exact  state  of 
affairs,  for  the  young  wife's  arms,  in  agonized 
excitement,  were  flung  around  his  neck. 

"  You  must  not  go  out,  Arthur,"  she  said :  "  it  is 
a  rash,  a  desperate  venture.  What  can  you  do 
alone  against  this  raging  multitude?  Yesterday 
they  were  quarreling  among  themselves  when  you 
stepped  between :  to-day  they  will  all  turn  against 
you.  You  will  atone  for  this  daring.  I  cannot  let 
you  go." 

Arthur  gently  but  decidedly  released  himself  from 
her  arms. 

"  I  must,  Eugenie,"  be  said.  "  It  is  the  only 
possibility  of  quelling  the  storm,  and  it  is  not  the 
first  time  I  have  been  forced  to  encounter  such 
scenes.  What  did  you  do  yesterday  on  your  ar- 
rival ?" 

"  I  wanted  to  come  to  you,"  said  Eugenie,  in  a 
tone  as  if  this  ought  to  justify  every  venture.  "But 
you  will  break  away  from  me  to  deliver  yourself 
up  to  the  blind  fury  of  this  Hartmann.  Think  of 
the  scene  of  yesterday  evening — of  his  threats!  If 
you  must  go  out,  if  no  choice  is  left  you,  then  let 
me  at  least  go  with  you.  I  am  not  timid  ;  I  tremble 
at  danger  only  when  I  know  you  are  exposed  to  it 
alone." 

He  bent  gravely  but  lovingly  down  to  her. 

"  I  know  that  you  have  courage,  my  Eugenie,  but 
I  should  be  a  coward  in  the  midst  of  that  mob, 
when  I  knew  tha,t  a  stone  from  their  midst  might 


368  GOOD  LUCK. 

also  hit  you.  I  want  ray  full  courage  to-day,  and  I 
should  not  have  it  if  I  saw  you  near  me  threatened 
and  had  not  the  power  to  protect  you.  I  know  why 
you  wish  to  accompany  me :  you  believe  me  secure 
from  one  arm  so  long  as  you  stand  at  my  side.  Do 
not  deceive  yourself.  Since  yesterday  evening  that 
is  past ;  since  then  you  have  a  share  in  the  hatred 
with  which  he  follows  me  ;  and  even  if  this  were 
not  so " — here  his  voice  lost  its  gentle,  pleading 
tone  and  his  brow  contracted — "  I  will  not  owe  my 
security  to  a  sentiment  which  is  an  insult  to  you  as 
well  as  to  me,  and  which  alone  demands  the  re- 
moval of  this  man,  even  if  his  other  proceedings 
did  not." 

The  young  wife  must  have  felt  the  truth  of  these 
words.  She  bowed  her  head  in  silent  resignation. 
Arthur  continued : 

"  The  tumult  is  breaking  out  anew.  I  must  go. 
Our  meetings  to-day  must  be  limited  to  minutes, 
and  they  will  be  full  enough  of  anguish,  my  peor 
wife.  You  could  not  have  come  back  at  a  worse 
time." 

"  Would  you  rather  endure  the  storm  alone  with- 
out me  ?"  asked  Eugenie  softly. 

A  glow  of  passionate  tenderness  illuminated  the 
young  man's  clouded  features. 

"  Without  you  ?  I  have  hitherto  endured  like  the 
soldier  upon  a  forsaken  post.  Since  yesterday  I 
have  learned  that  a  struggle  may  be  worth  some- 
thing when  one  has  a  life's  happiness  and  a  future 
to  win  through  it.  You  have  brought  both  back  to 


GOOD  LUCK  369 

me,  and  if  from  all  sides  the  tempest  breaks  forth 
more  fiercely  upon  us,  I  again  believe  in  victory, 
since  I  again  have  you." 

The  debate  among  the  officers,  growing  ever 
more  excited,  was  silenced  as  Berkow  entered  with 
his  wife,  but  the  emotion  visible  on  all  sides  was 
more  than  mere  respect  for  the  entrance  of  the 
chief.  All  the  grave,  anxious,  apprehensive  glances 
were  fixed  upon  his  face,  as  if  from  it  they  would 
read  hope  or  fear.  All  pressed  around  him  as 
around  a  central  prep,  against  which  they  sought  a 
support  and  stay  ;  all  breathed  more  freely  at  his 
entrance,  as  if  with  it  alone  a  part  of  the  danger 
were  removed.  This  emotion,  involuntary  as  it 
was.  sufficed  to  show  Eugenie  what  a  position  her 
husband  had  won  among  those  around  him,  and  his 
manner  as  he  stepped  among  them  showed  still 
more  that  he  knew  how  to  retain  it.  His  face, 
which  only  a  few  moments  before  the  young  wife 
had  seen  so  deeply  troubled,  now,  when  he  met  all 
these  anxious  faces,  betrayed  only  a  calm  serious- 
ness, nothing  more ;  and  his  bearing  was  so  confi- 
dent that  it  must  have  infused  courage  into  even 
the  most  timid. 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  it  looks  rather  hostile  and 
threatening  outside  there,"  he  said.  "We  must 
prepare  ourselves  for  a  sort  of  siege,  perhaps  for  an 
attack.  Do  you  not  think  so  ?" 

"  They  want  the  prisoners  released,"  said  the  di- 
rector with  a  glance  at  Schaffer,  as  if  demanding 
his  support,  and  Schaffer  now  interposed ; 


37'0  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Yes,  certainly,  Herr  Berkow,  and  I  fear  we 
shall  not  be  able  to  maintain  ourselves  against  the 
uproar.  The  incarceration  of  the  three  miners  is 
for  the  moment  their  only  ground  or  excuse  for  it. 
If  we  took  this  from  them — 

"  Then  they  would  find  others,"  interrupted 
Arthur  sharply,  "  and  the  weakness  betrayed  by  us 
would  give  them  new  courage.  We  must  show 
neither  weakness  nor  fear,  or  we  shall  lose  the 
game  at  the  last  moment.  I  foresaw  the  conse- 
quences when  I  had  the  three  mischief-makers  ar- 
rested, but  to  meet  this  attack  only  the  most  urgent 
measures  will  suffice.  The  prisoners  remain  in  con- 
finement until  the  soldiers  arrive." 

The  director  stepped  back  and  Schiiffer  shrugged 
his  shoulders.  They  had  now  learned  to  know  their 
young  chief  well  enough  to  understand  that  this 
tone  would  admit  of  no  contradiction. 

"I  miss  Hartmann  among  the  mob,"  said  Arthur, 
turning  to  the  chief  engineer.  "  He  is  usually  the 
leader  in  all  uproar  and  tumult,  but  to-day  he  seems 
to  have  only  urged  the  men  on  to  the  attack  and 
then  to  have  left  them  alone.  He  is  nowhere 
visible." 

"  And  I,  too.  have  missed  him  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,"  returned  the  engineer  thoughtfully.  "  I  hope 
he  is  not  stirring  up  new  mischief  somewhere  else. 
You  commanded  the  guards  stationed  at  the 
machine-houses  to  be  withdrawn,  Herr  Berkow  ?" 

"  Certainly.  We  want  the  few  men  at  our  dis- 
posal here  at  the  house  :  and  now  that  entrance  has 


GOOD  LUCK,  371 

been  forced  into  the  mines,  they  as  well  as  the 
machines  are  quite1  secure.  Nothing  can  be  done 
there  without  endangering  the  workmen  below." 

"  With  such  a  leader  would  this  be  a  considera- 
tion ?"  asked  the  officer  doubtfully. 

Arthur's  brow  grew  dark. 

"  I  might  have  thought  of  that !  Hartmann  is 
an  uncontrolled,  savage  nature  when  enraged,  but 
he  is  not  a  villain,  and  what  you  have  hinted  at 
would  be  villainy.  He  would  have  destroyed  the 
machines  so  as  to  hinder  the  descent,  and  as  he 
could  not  hinder  it,  why  do  you  believe  that  he 
would  so  insanely  fall  upon  the  machine-houses? 
It  certainly  would  not  be  to  expose  his  father  and 
comrades  to  destruction.  He  wished  to  recall  his 
former  orders,  and  when  he  saw  that  we  were  ahead 
of  him  he  became  enraged  at  the  failure  of  his 
plans  against  us.  The  descent  alone  has  saved  us 
the  machines.  No  one  lifts  his  hand  against  them 
while  the  overseer  and  the  rest  are  in  the  mines,  but 
instead  they  direct  the  storm  against  the  house.  I 
will  go  out  and  make  an  effort  to  quell  it." 

During  the  last  weeks  the  officers  had  become 
accustomed  to  see  their  chief  enter  into  scenes  like 
this  with  the  utmost  daring  and  without  regard  to 
personal  danger,  but  to-day  warnings  and  entreaties 
were  heard  from  all  sides.  Even  the  chief  engineer 
for  this  once  joined  in,  while  Schaffer,  who  well 
knew  from  what  source  alone  expostulation  could 
avail,  turned  to  Eugenie,  who  still  stood  at  her  hus- 
band's side. 


372  GOOD  LUCK. 

"  Do  not  let  him  go,  your  ladyship — not  to-day. 
To-day  it  is  more  perilous  than  upon  all  days  be- 
fore. The  miners  are  terribly  excited,  and  this 
time  Hartmann  is  playing  a  desperate  game  against 
us.  Keep  our  chief  back !" 

The  young  wife  became  deathly  pale  at  this 
warning,  which  only  too  well  confirmed  her  own 
fears,  but  she  retained  her  self-possession  ;  a  part  of 
Arthur's  calmness  seemed  to  have  passed  over  to 
her. 

"  My  husband  has  declared  to  me  that  he  must 
make  the  effort,"  she  returned  firmly,  "  and  he  shall 
not  say  that  I  with  tears  and  entreaties  kept  him 
back  from  what  he  deemed  his  duty.  Let  him 
go!" 

Arthur  clasped  her  hand  still  more  firmly  in 
his  own,  but  he  thanked  her  only  with  a  glance. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  he  said,  "  take  an  example 
from  the  courage  of  my  wife.  She  certainly  has 
the  most  to  tremble  for.  I  repeat  to  you,  the  at- 
tempt must  be  made.  Let  the  doors  be  opened." 

"  We  all  go  with  you !"  cried  the  chief  engineer. 
"Fear  nothing,  my  lady.  I  will  not  leave  your 
husband's  side." 

Arthur  calmly  but  firmly  declined  the  proffer. 

"  I  thank  you ;  but  you  remain  here,  and  the 
other  gentlemen  likewise.  I  go  alone.  In  such  a 
case  the  solitary  man  is  safest  from  the  mob.  The 
appearance  of  you  all  might  seem  a  challenge. 
Only  hold  yourselves  ready,  if  things  come  to  the 
worst,  to  cover  my  retreat  into  the  house.  Fare- 
,  well,  Eugenie !" 


GOOD  LUCK.  373 

He  went,  accompanied  to  the  steps  by  the  chief 
engineer  and  the  other  officers.  No  one  made  any 
further  effort  to  hold  him  back.  They  all  knew 
that  in  his  appearance  among  the  mob  outside  lay 
the  only  possibility  of  averting  a  danger,  to  with- 
stand which  for  many  hours  here  within  the  house 
seemed  difficult,  if  not  impossible. 

Eugenie  hastened  to  a  window.  She  did  not  see 
that  all  present  in  anxious  suspense  pressed  to  the 
other  windows ;  she  did  not  hear  the  half-audible 
remarks  exchanged  between  the  director  and 
Schaffer,  who  stood  immediately  behind  her :  she 
saw  only  the  wild,  excited  multitude,  which,  head 
crowding  above  head,  surrounded  the  house,  and 
with  savage  yells  demanded  the  release  of  the 
prisoners — the  multitude  which  would  now  hurl  it- 
self against  her  husband  alone  and  the  next 

O 

moment  perhaps  threaten  his  life. 

The  more  elegant  than  strong  iron  fence  of  the 
park  had  already  yielded  to  the  storm  :  it  lay  in 
ruins  on  the  ground.  The  costly  and  carefully  kept 
pleasure  grounds,  trodden  down  by  hundreds  of 
footsteps,  presented  only  a  wild  chaos  of  earth, 
flower-pots,  and  trampled  shrubs.  The  foremost 
had  already  reached  the  terrace,  and  from  there 
had  forced  their  way  close  up  to  the  house ;  already 
some  fists  were  armed  with  stones  to  hurl  against 
the  windows.  Shouts,  threats,  cries  of  all  kinds 
blended  wildly  together ;  the  tumult  increased  from 
minute  to  minute,  until  it  mounted  to  a  howl  of  a 
moment's  duration  which  had  no  longer  anything 
human  in  its  sound- 


374  GOOD  LUCK 

Then  all  at  once  there  was  a  deep,  breathless 
calm.  The  tumult  died  away  suddenly,  as  if  some 
celestial  power  had  commanded  silence.  The  wildly 
excited  groups  paused ;  the  mob  swayed  back  as 
if  it  had  encountered  some  sudden  resistance ; 
and  all  eyes,  all  faces,  turned  in  one  direction. 
The  front  door  was  opened  and  the  young  chief 
stepped  out  upon  the  terrace. 

The  silence  was  of  only  a  few  moments'  duration  ; 
then  the  momentary  surprise  yielded  to  a  renewed 
outbreak  of  fury  more  terrible  than  the  first ;  and 
now  it  had  a  better  object.  All  these  furious  out- 
cries, all  these  faces  distorted  by  rage,  all  these 
threateningly  lifted  arms,  which  just  before  had 
menaced  the  house  and  its  inmates,  now  turned 
against  a  single  one  ;  but  this  one  was  the  chief,  the 
master  of  the  works  :  and  what  the  father,  with  his 
mechanical  genius,  with  his  persistent  endurance 
and  his  tyrannical  will,  had  not  been  able  to 
establish  in  many  years,  the  son  had  enforced  in  a 
few  weeks — his  absolute  personal  authority.  It 
availed  even  here,  where  all  the  bands  of  order  were 
loosened.  Calmly  he  let  the  storm  rage  around 
him  ;  the  slender  form  erect,  the  large  eyes  steady 
and  clear  turned  to  the  throng,  every  one  of  which 
was  his  superior  in  strength  and  from  which  he 
had  no  protection  save  his  authority.  There  he 
stood  opposed  to  them,  entirely  alone  and  unarmed  ; 
but  he  stood  there  as  if  these  surging  waves  of  in- 
surrection must  break  against  him. 

And  in  truth  they  did  break.     Gradually  the  up- 


GOOD  LUCK.  375 

roar  subsided ;  it  subsided  into  cries,  then  mur- 
murs ;  at  last  these  also  died  away.  And  now 
arose  Berkow's  voice,  at  first  inaudible  amid  the  ex- 
citement and  still  often  interrupted  by  the  tumult 
which  by  fits  and  starts  again  broke  forth,  but 
which,  often  as  it  rose,  again  sank  powerless  and  at 
last  entirely  ceased  ;  so  that  only  the  voice  of  the 
young  chief  was  heard,  which,  clear,  loud,  and  dis- 
tinct, rose  above  all  and  became  intelligible  to  the 
most  distant. 

"  God  be  thanked  !"  murmured  Schaffer  as  he 
wiped  his  forehead  with  his  pocket-handkerchief; 
"  now  he  has  them  in  rein.  The  mob  foams  at  the 
mouth  and  rears,  but  it  obeys.  Only  see,  your 
ladyship,  how  the  excitement  is  subsiding — how  all 
fall  back !  They  are  really  leaving  the  terrace ! 
and  see  there,  the  stones  also  are  falling  to  the 
ground  !  If  Heaven  only  keeps  Hartraann  away 
just  now  the  danger  is  over." 

He  did  not  know  with  what  mental  anguish 
Eugenie  was  repeating  this  prayer  in  her  soul.  She 
had  been  continually  seeking  that  dreaded  form 
amid  the  mob,  and  so  long  as  it  was  not  visible  she 
kept  up  her  courage,  so  long  she  believed  Arthur 
safe.  But  now  hope  and  security  were  at  an  end. 

It  might  be  that  the  sudden  cessation  of  the  up- 
roar he  had  intentionally  aroused  called  back  the 
missing  one,  or  that  a  suspicion  of  what  had  hap- 
pened drew  him  hither  at  the  decisive  moment. 
As  if  he  stepped  out  of  the  earth,  Ulrich  Hartmann 
suddenly  stood  at  the  park  gate  behind  the  mob, 
and  a  single  glance  told  him  how  matters  were. 


376  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  XX 

"  COWARDS  you  are.  all  of  you !"  he  cried  in  a 
voice  of  thunder  to  his  comrades  as,  followed  by 
Lorenz  and  the  master-miner  Wilms,  he  forced  his 
way  through  the  dense  mass.  "  I  hardly  supposed 
that  you  would  allow  yourselves  to  fall  into  his  net 
while  we  went  to  ascertain  where  the  prisoners  had 
been  taken.  We  know  now.  They  are  there  in  the 
lower  story  of  the  right  tower,  close  behind  the 
great  hall.  Break  in  the  plate-glass  window,  and 
then  we  have  no  need  to  storm  the  door." 

No  one  obeyed  the  command,  and  yet  it  did  not 
remain  ineffectual.  There  is  nothing  more  waver- 
ing of  soul,  more  will-less,  than  an  excited  mob 
which  is  wont  to  allow  itself  to  be  controlled  by  the 
will  of  one  man.  In  all  this  tumult  and  uproar, 
just  subsided,  there  had  been  a  lack  of  purpose,  an 
indecision  which  would  never  have  gone  so  far  as  a 
direct  attack.  The  eye,  the  arm  of  the  leader  had 
been  wanting;  now  they  were  present,  and  the 
moment  his  hand  again  grasped  the  reins  he  gave 
the  mob  a  decided  purpose.  They  now  knew 
where  the  prisoners  could  be  found  ;  they  knew  the 
way  to  them  ;  and  this  awakened  anew  the  danger 
which  had  been  only  partially  overcome. 


GOOD  LUCK  377 

TJlrich  at  this  moment  gave  himself  little  con- 
cern whether  or  not  his  orders  were  obeyed.  He 
had  forced  his  way  to  the  terrace  and  now  stood 
close  before  the  young  chief,  with  the  whole  ob- 
stinacy and  pride  of  his  uncontrollable  nature,  with 
his  giant  form  towering  almost  a  head  above  all  the 
others  He  was  the  born  leader  of  the  masses, 
whose  wild  energy,  whose  despotic  will  impelled 
them  on  to  a  blind  obedience,  and  who,  in  spite  of 
all  that  had  happened,  all  that  perhaps  might 
happen,  still  for  the  moment  had  unlimited  power 
over  them.  The  whole  victory  which  Arthur  had 
won  was  imperiled,  if  not  destroyed,  by  the  mere 
appearance  of  this  man,  whose  individuality  was 
at  least  as  powerful  in  its  workings  as  his  own. 

"Where  are  our  comrades?"  asked  Hartmann 
threateningly  as  he  stepped  still  nearer.  "  We  will 
have  them  released  this  instant.  We  allow  no  out- 
rage against  any  of  our  men." 

"  And  I  allow  no  destroying  of  my  machines," 
interrupted  Arthur  with  calm  dignity.  "I  have 
had  the  men  shut  up,  although  they  were  only  the 
tool  of  another  hand.  Who  ordered  the  attack 
upon  the  machines ?" 

Ulrich's  eyes  flashed  fearfully  but  triumphantly. 
He  had  foreseen  this  firmness  and  had  built  his 
plans  upon  it  He  indeed  wanted  no  excuse  for  an 
attack ;  he  would,  at  any  cost,  gratify  his  hatred ; 
but  his  men,  who  were  already  wavering  and  threat- 
ened to  desert  their  colors,  needed  such  excuse. 
This  would  goad  on  anew  the  faint-hearted  ones, 


378  GOOD  LUCK. 

• 

and  the  rival  was  brave  and  proud  enough  to  allow 
him  this. 

"  I  need  not  bandy  words  with  you  !"  he  cried 
derisively,  ''  and  I  certainly  need  not  allow  you  to 
listen  to  me  with  that  arrogant  air.  Once  again  I 
tell  you,  release  those  prisoners !  The  miners 
demand  itx  or — 

His  glance  finished  the  threat 

''  The  prisoners  remain  in  confinement,"  declared 
Arthur  unmoved.  "  And  you,  Hartmann,  have  no 
longer  a  right  to  speak  in  the  name  of  all  the 
miners  :  more  than  half  have  already  deserted  you. 
I  have  nothing  more  to  say  to  you." 

*'  But  I  have  to  you !"  cried  Ulrich,  beside  him- 
self. "To  our  comrades!"  he  shouted,  turning  to 
the  excited  mob.  "Strike  down  all  that  opposes 
you !  Forward  !" 

He  was  about  to  fall  upon  Berkow  first  of  all  and 
thereby  give  the  signal  for  attack,  but  before  this 
could  happen,  before  it  was  decided  whether  the 
mob  would  yield  or  deny  him  obedience,  there  was 
heard  a  strange  sound,  which  made  all  tremble  and 
caused  even  the  wild  leader  to  pause  in  horror, 
while  he  like  the  others  listened  spell-bound  and  in 
breathless  silence  It  was  a  sound  like  distant,  hol- 
low thunder,  which  seemed  to  come  from  the  depths 
ot  the  earth,  and  was  followed  by  a  momentary  un- 
der o-round  reverberation.  Then  all  became  still  as 
death,  and  hundreds  ol  faces  white  with  terror 
turned  in  the  direction  of  the  works. 

'  God  of  heaven  !     That  came  from  the  mines. 


GOOD  LUCK.  379 

Something  has  happened  there!"  cried  Lorenz, 
starting  up. 

"  It  was  an  explosion,"  said  the  chief  engineer, 
who  during  the  last  critical  moments  had  stood  in 
the  vestibule  below,  at  the  head  of  the  younger  offi- 
cers and  the  whole  available  force  of  servants,  so  as 
to  be  ready  to  hasten  to  the  help  of  the  chief.  "An 
accident  has  happened  in  the  mines,  Herr  Berkow. 
We  must  go  over." 

For  an  instant  horror  seemed  to  palsy  all  around. 
No  one  stirred  ;  the  warning  had  been  too  terrible. 
At  the  very  moment  when  one  part}7  with  deadly 
hatred  would  have  hurled  itself  against  the  other, 
a  mortal  danger  had  overtaken  their  brethren  down 
in  the  mines  and  imperiously  summoned  them  from 
assault  to  rescue.  Arthur  was  the  first  to  recover 
his  self-possession. 

"  To  the  mines  !"  he  cried  to  his  officers,  who  now 
rushing  out  of  the  house  gathered  around  him,  and 
he  himself  gave  the  example  as  in  advance  of  all  he 
hastened  to  the  works. 

"  To  the  mines !"  thundered  Ulrich  also  to  the 
miners,  but  the  command  was  no  longer  needed. 
The  whole  mass,  in  bewildered  haste,  were  already 
rushing  in  that  direction,  their  leader  at  their  head. 
He  and  Berkow  were  the  first  to  reach  the  works, 
and  both  reached  them  almost  at  the  same  moment. 

There  was  no  outward  evidence  of  the  work  of 
the  destroying  element,  none  but  the  dense  pillars 
of  smoke  which  rose  above  the  shafts.  These  told 
•what  had  happened,  and  they  told  enough.  In  less 


380  GOOD  LUCK. 

than  ten  minutes  the  whole  space  around  the  mines 
was  filled  with  men  whose  first  dunrb  horror  had 
now  yielded  to  loud  outbursts  of  anguish,  terror, 
and  despair. 

There  is  something  terrible  and  yet  sublime  in 
such  a  great  misfortune  which  does  not  come  from 
mortal  hand,  for  it  almost  always  redeems  the  honor 
of  human  nature  and  purifies  it  from  those  baser 
passions  which  usually  disfigure  and  overshadow  it. 

Here  the  change  in  the  people's  mood  had  been 
so  sudden,  so  lightning-like  in  its  swiftness  that  it 
no  longer  seemed  the  same  mob  which  a  few  min- 
utes before  had  raged  around  the  house,  menacing 
all  its  inmates  with  violence  and  perhaps  murder 
because  their  insane  demands  were  not  granted. 
Strife,  hostility,  hatred,  fostered  for  months  long, 
all  had  now  subsided  into  the  one  thought  of  res- 
cue. To  this  rescue  alike  hurried  miners  and  offi- 
cers, friend  and  foe ;  and  the  most  violent  of  the 
rioters  now  led  the  band.  An  hour  ago  they  had 
threatened  their  comrades,  had  laid  violent  hands 
on  them,  and  would  have  stricken  them  down  if  it 
had  not  been  the  father  of  Ulrich  Hartmann  who 
led  them  to  the  mines ;  and  now — when  these  very 
comrades  were  in  mortal  danger — now  every  one 
would  have  risked  his  life  to  save  them.  The  fear- 
ful warning  had  borne  its  fruit. 

"  Back !"  cried  Arthur  imperiously  as  he  con- 
fronted the  bewildered,  aimless  throng.  "  You 
cannot  just  now  help :  you  only  hinder  the  efforts 
of  the  officers.  It  must  first  be  decided  how  anci 


GOOD  LUCK.  381 

where  we  can  enter  the  shafts.  Let  the  chief  en- 
gineer take  the  lead." 

"  Let  the  chief  engineer  take  the  lead  !"  repeated 
the  foremost;  and  the  cry  went  throught  the  line, 
and  the  dense  mass  at  once  opened  a  path  for  that 
officer,  who  with  his  subordinates  was  already  upon 
the  spot. 

"  To  enter  down  yonder  will  be  an  impossibility," 
said  the  chief  engineer  to  Arthur,  pointing  to  the 
lower  shaft,  which  was  connected  with  the  others, 
and  at  whose  mouth  smoke  and  vapor  arose  in  mighty 
columns.  "  We  have  made  the  attempt,  but  in  vain  : 
nothing  human  can  breathe  in  that  infernal  air. 
Hartmann  tried  it,  but  after  a  few  steps  he  re- 
treated half-stifled,  and  had  to  bring  out  Lorenz 
with  him,  who  had  followed  but  had  fallen  at  the 
very  entrance.  Our  only  hope  lies  in  the  upper 
shaft.  Set  the  machinery  in  motion  :  we  must  as- 
cend there." 

The  machine-master,  to  whom  the  last  words  were 
addressed,  and  who  had  stood  near  pale  and  agi- 
tated, made  no  motion  to  obey. 

"  The  machines  refuse  to  do  their  work."  he  said 
in  a  voice  of  anguish  :  "  they  have  for  an  hour.  I 
should  before  have  announced  this  to  the  officers, 
but  ray  messenger  could  not  make  his  way  to  them 
through  the  mob,  and  I  thought  that  in  any  event 
the  miners  could  ascend  through  the  lower  shaft. 
We  have  already  worked,  a  long  time  upon  the 
elevator,  but  in  vain.  It  cannot  be  made  available." 

"  Heaven  and  earth !  do  they  fail  us  now  ?"  cried 
the  chief  engineer,  rushing  into  the  machine-house. 


382  GOOD  LUCK 

"  But  the  foot-way  shaft  ?"  said  Arthur  hastily, 
turning  to  the  director.  "Can  we  not  go  down 
there?" 

The  director  shook  his  head. 

"  The  foot-way  shaft  has  been  impassable  since 
this  morning.  You  know,  Herr  Berkow,  that  Hart- 
mann  had  all  the  upper  ladders  destroyed  because 
he  would  at  any  price  hinder  the  descent  of  the 
miners.  He  did  not  fully  succeed.  The  workmen 
went  down  the  main  shaft,  and  at  present  this  is 
our  only  entrance  into  the  mines." 

Ulrich  now  appeared,  with  Wilrns  and  several  of 
his  usual  companions. 

"  Nothing  is  going  on  down  there/'  he  said  to  his 
comrades  as  he  made  his  way  through  all.  "  We 
are  sacrificing  life  needlessly  when  we  ought  to  be 
rescuing  it.  Perhaps  we  can  do  so  here.  Why  is 
the  elevator  not  at  work  ?  We  must  go  down  by 
its  help." 

As  he  was  violently  rushing  forward  he  suddenly 
met  the  young  chief,  who  gazed  sternly  at  him. 

"  The  elevator  will  not  work,"  he  said  loudly  and 
sharply.  "  It  ceased  an  hour  ago,  and  ten  minutes 
ago  the  accident  happened.  These  two  events  have 
no  connection,  but  it  was  just  an  hour  ago  we  ar- 
rested your  three  men.  What  had  they  done,  Hart- 
mann  ?" 

Ulrich  staggered  back  as  if  he  had  received  a 
blow. 

"  I  recalled  my  order,"  said  he,  u  the  moment  my 
father  went  down  and  the  others  followed.  I  went 


GOOD  LUCK.  383 

myself  to  hinder  its  execution,  but  the  mischief  had 
already  been  done.  I  did  not  wish  it.  God  knows 
I  did  not !" 

Arthur  turned  from  him  to  the  chief  engineer, 
who  had  just  come  out  of  the  machine-house. 

"  Well,  ho\v  is  it  ?"  he  asked  quickly. 

The  officer  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  The  machinery  will  not  work,"  he  said.  "  Still 
we  have  not  been  able  to  find  where  the  trouble 
lies.  The  injury  has  not  come  from  the  explosion  : 
it  is  from  a  human  hand.  If  we  do  not  succeed  in 
repairing  it,  all  entrance  into  the  mines  is  denied 
us  and  all  belo\v  are  lost  wiihout  hope  of  rescue, 
Overseer  Hartmann  among  them." 

At  these  last  words  he  had  raised  his  voice  and 
fixed  his  eyes  upon  Ulrich,  who  with  a  face  white 
as  that  of  a  corpse  stood  there  dumb  and  motion- 
less. But  now  he  trembled  and  made  a  hasty  move- 
ment forward.  Arthur  stepped  into  his  way. 

"  Where  would  you  go  ?" 

"I  must  go  down!"  he  said  breathlessly.  "I 
must  help.  Let  me  go,  Herr  Berkow.  I  must,  I 
tell  you !" 

"  You  cannot  help,"  interposed  Arthur  bitterly. 
"  We  can  do  nothing  with  our  arms  alone.  You 
could  destroy  and  make  the  danger  tenfold.  The 
work  of  restoration  must  be  left  to  the  officers. 
They  alone  can  make  it  possible  for  us  to  rescue  our 
imperiled  workmen,  and  they  must  be  neither  dis- 
turbed nor  hindered  in  their  task.  Keep  guard 
around  here,  Herr  Director,  and  you,  Herr  Wilberg, 


384  GOOD  LUCK. 

bring  the  three  prisoners  here  immediately.  They 
must  know  where  they  have  laid  their  hands.  Per- 
haps they  may  give  an  intimation  to  the  engineers. 
Hasten !" 

Wilberg  obeyed,  and  the  director  also  made  prep- 
arations to  carry  out  the  commands  of  his  chief. 
He  met  with  no  resistance.  All  knew  what  hung 
upon  the  efforts  of  the  officers  and  all  obeyed  will- 
ingly. They  felt  something  of  the  truth  of  those 
words  Herr  Berkow  had  once  flung  back  against 
the  obstinate  demands  of  their  leader. 

"Try  all  this  if  the  hated  element  is  wanting 
which  gives  direction  to  your  arms,  force  to  your 
machinery,  and  intellect  to  your  work !" 

Here  were  hundreds  of  arms,  hundreds  of  strong 
men  ready  to  help ;  and  the  whole  power,  the  whole 
possibility  of  rescue  lay  in  the  hands  of  the  few 
who  must  lend  science  to  their  work  so  as  to  bring 
help  where  the  multitude  and  their  leader  could  do 
nothing  at  the  utmost  but  rush  blindly  into  certain 
death.  These  officers,  once  so  hated  and  despised— 
upon  them  all  glances  now  hung;  and  wherever  one 
of  them  came  in  sight  all  crowded  around  him. 
They  would  now  at  any  cost  have  protected  them 
and  their  work  had  they  needed  such  protection. 

Minute  after  minute  passed  in  anxious,  agonized 
suspense.  Wilberg  had  long  since  returned  with 
the  three  prisoners.  They  knew  what  had  hap- 
pened. They  came  in  breathless  haste,  like  all  the 
others ;  like  them  to  stand  there  aimless  and  de- 
spairing. They  were  no  longer  needed,  for  the 


GOOD  LUCK.  385 

reason  of  the  stoppage  of  the  machinery  was  already 
found.  The  injury  had  proved  slight  and  its  im- 
mediate reparation  was  possible.  The  engineers, 
under  the  direction  of  their  superior,  did  their  ut- 
most, while  outside  they  organized  their  plans  for 
rescue  and  constantly,  but  still  in  vain,  sought  to 
force  entrance  into  the  mines  on  other  sides.  The 
danger  had,  as  at  one  stroke,  firmly  reunited  the 
loosened  bands  of  discipline.  All  obeyed,  and  obeyed 
better  and  more  quickly  than  even  before  the  out- 
break of  the  revolt. 

But  the  chief  himself  accomplished  more  than  all 
the  rest.  His  eyes,  his  voice  were  everywhere. 
Everywhere  he  knew  how  to  work  himself,  how  to 
inspire  others.  Arthur  possessed  little  or  nothing 
of  the  science  and  experience  so  needed  here.  The 
}roung  heir  had  been  reared  in  the  fullest  ignorance 
of  what  it  most  concerned  him  to  know,  but  one 
faculty  he  possessed  which  cannot  be  instilled  by 
culture  or  training — the  genius  of  command.  And 
this  was  the  faculty  most  of  all  wanted  here,  where 
the  chief  engineer,  the  only  energetic  one  among 
the  officers,  was  kept  inside  occupied  with  the 
machinery,  and  the  director,  as  well  as  the  others, 
half-stunned  at  the  sudden  change  of  affairs  and  at 
the  catastrophe  itself,  in  spite  of  their  science, 
experience,  and  capability,  had  all  lost  their  presence 
of  mind. 

It  was  Arthur  who  gave  it  back  to  them — Arthur 
who  with  his  quick  glance  posted  every  one  in  the 
right  place  and  incited  all  to  do  their  utmost ;  it 


386  OOOD  LUCK. 

Avas  he  who  by  bis  energy  impelled  and  inspired  all. 
The  character  of  this  young  man,  so  long  misunder- 
stood by  those  around  him  and  by  himself  most  of 
all,  had  never  shone  forth  so  brilliantly  as  in  this 
hour  of  peril. 

At  last  was  heard  the  heavy,  groaning  sound 
with  which  the  machinery  resumed  its  work  ;  then 
followed  the  panting  and  creaking  of  its  mighty 
frame,  at  first  fitfully  and  interruptedly,  then  at 
regular  intervals.  The  works  rose  and  fell  with 
their  wonted  obedience.  The  chief  engineer 
stepped  to  Herr  Berkow,  but  his  face  had  become 
no  more  cheerful. 

"  The  machinery  is  again  in  order."  he  said,  "  but 
I  fear  it  is  too  late  or  too  early  for  the  descent. 
The  vapor  rises  even  here.  The  fire-damp  must 
again  be  breaking  out.  We  shall  have  to  wait." 

Arthur  made  an  impatient  gesture. 

"  Wait!  We  have  waited  a  whole  hour  already, 
and  the  lives  of  these  unfortunate  men  hang  upon 
every  moment.  Do  you  think  it  will  be  possible  to 
go  down  ?" 

"It  is  perhaps  possible;  this  seems  to  be  only 
vapor  which  rises  here  ;  but  every  one  who  goes 
down  risks  his  life.  I  Avould  not  venture." 

"But  I  will!"  cried  Ulrich  with  grim  determina- 
tion. At  the  moment  when  the  machinery  began 
to  work  he  had  rushed  violently  forward  and  now 
stood  close  by  the  shaft.  "  I  will  go  down,"  he 
repeated  ;  "  but  one  alone  can  do  nothing  there.  I 
raugt  have  help.  Who  goes  with  me  ?" 


GOOD  LUCK  387 

No  one  answered ;  every  one  seemed  to  recoil 
from  a  descent  into  this  smoking  abyss.  They  had 
all  seen  how  the  courageous  ones  who  at  the  first 
had  sought  to  force  an  entrance  had  reeled  back  or 
fallen.  Lorenz  still  lay  senseless  from  a  venture 
which  his  stronger  comrade  had  made  without 
injury.  But  no  one  possessed  the  courage  to  follow 
Ulrich  in  a  descent  where  return  or  retreat  were 
almost  impossible. 

"  No  one  f"  asked  Ulrich  after  a  pause.  "  Very 
well,  then,  I  will  go  alone.  Give  the  signal !" 

He  sprang  into  the  seat,  but  suddenly  a  small 
white  hand  was  laid  upon  its  blackened  edge  and  a 
clear  voice  said  firmly  : 

"  Wait,  Hartmann !     I  go  with  you." 

A  cry  of  horror  from  the  lips  of  the  assembled 
officers  gave  answer  to  this  decision ;  from  all  sides 
arose  the  most  violent  opposition. 

"  For  God's  sake,  Herr  Berkow,  do  not  go !" 
"  You  are  needlessly  sacrificing  your  life."  "  You 
cannot  help !"  These  exclamations  were  heard 
from  all  sides  and  in  every  tone  of  horror  and 
anguish. 

Arthur  rose  erect.  The  full  self-consciousness  of 
the  lord  and  master  flashed  from  his  eyes. 

"  I  do  not  do  this  for  aid  :  it  is  for  the  example," 
he  said.  "If  I  go  others  will  follow.  Do  all 
possible  above  here  to  rescue  us,  Herr  Engineer. 
The  director  will  maintain  order.  For  the  moment 
1  have  nothing  to  offer  my  workmen  but  courage, 
and  that  I  intend  to  show  them. 


388  GOOD  LUCK. 

"But  not  alone,  and  not  with  Hartmann,"  ex- 
claimed the  chief  engineer,  almost  forcing  him 
back.  "Beware,  Herr  Berkow !  It  is  the  same 
elevator  and  the  same  company  which  proved  fatal 
to  your  father,  and  below  there  something  might 
menace  you  more  dangerous  than  the  explosive  fire- 
damp." 

It  was  the  first  time  the  accusation  had  been 
publicly  and  boldly  made  in  the  presence  of  the 
miners,  and  although  none  ventured  to  join  in  it, 
the  faces  of  all  betrayed  that  they  fully  believed  it. 
Ulrich  yet  stood  in  his  place  silent  and  motionless. 
He  did  not  contradict ;  he  did  not  defend  himself  ; 
but  his  eyes,  with  steady,  open  gaze,  were  fixed 
upon  the  young  chief,  as  if  from  that  mouth  alone 
he  expected  absolution  or  condemnation. 

Arthur's  glance  met  his  for  a  moment  only  ;  then 
he  broke  loose  from  the  strong  arms  which  sought 
to  restrain  him. 

"  Below  there  in  the  mines  there  are  more  than  a 
hundred  lost  men  if  we  do  not  help  them,  and  there 
I  think  no  hand  will  be  raised  but  to  save.  Give 
the  signal !  Lend  me  your  arm,  Hartmann.  You 
must  help  me." 

Trembling,  Ulrich  reached  forth  his  arm  to  give 
the  required  assistance.  The  next  minute,  Arthur 
stood  at  his  side. 

"  As  soon  as  we  arrive  safe  below,"  he  said,  "  send 
down  all  who  wish  and  are  able  to  follow  us.  Gluck 
auf!" 

"  Oluck  auff"  repeated  Ulrich  in  a  hollow  voice, 
but  with  the  same  firmness. 


GOOD  LUCK  389 

It  had  a  weird,  almost  ghost-like  sound,  this 
salutation  which  both  men  threw  up  from  the 
depths  of  the  abyss  which  now  received  them.  The 
elevator  sank  slowly.  Those  standing  above  saw 
only  how  the  young  chief,  giddy  at  the  strange 
descent,  stupefied  at  the  vapor  now  happily  but 
faint,  reeled  backward,  and  how  with  a  quick 
movement  Hartmann  placed  his. strong  arm  around 
him  and  held  him  up ;  then  both  vanished  in  that 
suffocating  pit  of  vapor.  Arthur  was  right.  His 
descent  decided  all,  while  that  of  Ulrica  remained 
without  effect.  They  were  accustomed  to  see  the 
steiger  Hartmann  imperil  his  life  for  immeasurably 
less  cause  than  this,  and  always  to  rescue  it  unharmed ; 
so  that  there  was  already  among  his  comrades 
a  sort  of  superstitious  belief  that  no  danger  could 
reach  him.  It  was  he  who  had  made  the  foot-way 
shaft  impassable,  and  his  attempt  upon  the  elevator 
had  caused  more  than  an  hour's  delay,  and  his  father 
was  down  there  with  the  others,  lost,  perhaps, 
through  his  act ;  and  so,  as  a  matter  of  course,  he 
would  without  hesitation  rush  into  a  danger  none 
else  could  wish  to  share. 

But  when  the  chief  set  the  example — this  deli- 
cately reared,  aristocratic  man  who  had  never 
entered  his  mines  when  they  were  supposed  to  be 
safe,  and  who  now  forced  his  way  down  when  death 
threatened  every  one — as  he  went  before  so  all  fol- 
lowed. Next  him  were  the  three  miners  who  this 
morning  had  laid  their  hands  upon  the  elevator, 
which  now  carried  them  down  under  the  guidance 


390  GOOD  LUCK. 

of  one  of  the  engineers.  Then  came  new  and  still 
new  helpers:  no  exhortation,  no  command  was 
needed.  The  chief  engineer  very  soon  had  to  keep 
back  the  rushing  throng  because  the  services  of  only 
a  part  could  be  made  available. 

Hour  after  hour  went  by.  The  sun  had  long 
since  reached  the  meridian,  long  since  neared  its 
setting,  and  still  below  there,  in  the  bosom  of  the 
earth,  human  intellect  and  human  will  contended 
with  the  destroying  elements  to  wrest  from  them 
their  sacrifices.  It  was  a  battle  more  terrible  than 
could  have  been  fought  in  the  light  of  day  ;  every 
foot's-breadth  must  first  be  conquered,  every  step 
be  won  in  the  face  of  mortal  danger  to  make  it  a 
possibility  to  press  forward  ;  but  they  still  pressed 
forward,  and  it  seemed  as  if  these  unheard-of  exer- 
tions would  receive  an  unheard-of  reward. 

Universal  sympathy  was  awakened  for  these  un- 
fortunate men  ;  all  hoped  to  rescue  them,  for  they 
still  lived,  or  a  part  of  them  at  least.  A  happy 
accident — the  discovery  of  two  miners  lost  or  be- 
wildered in  their  haste  to  escape — furnished  the 
right  clew.  The  explosion  seemed  to  have  only 
partially  affected  the  upper  shaft,  and  the  miners 
must  have  had  time  enough  to  flee  for  refuge 
to  one  of  the  side  passages,  where  the  vapor 
could  not  reach  them,  but  where  the  falling 
in  of  a  portion  of  the  outside  wall  had  blocked 
them  up  and  cut  off  their  escape.  The  aim  of  the 
rescuers  was  now  to  work  through  to  their  com- 
rades by  a  way  which  at  least  seemed  possible,  and 


GOOD  LUCK.  391 

to  the  carrying  out  of  this  hastily  formed  and 
reasonable  plan  all  lent  their  utmost  endeavors. 

"Even  if  the  whole  earth  lies  above  them  \ve 
must  make  our  way  to  them !"  Ulrich  had  exclaimed 
as  the  first  clew  was  found,  and  this  had  become 
the  rallying-cry  of  all. 

There  was  not  one  who  quailed,  not  one  who 
shunned  the  perilous  duty  imposed  upon  him.  With 
most,  strength  and  ardor  kept  equal  pace,  and  yet, 
not  to  increase  the  number  of  victims,  many  had  to 
be  sent  back  exhausted  and  half-stupefied,  to  be 
replaced  by  new  helpers.  There  were  only  two 
whom  nothing  moved,  nothing  wearied — Ulrich 
Hartmann  with  his  iron  body  and  Arthur  Berkow 
with  his  iron  will.  This  will  to-day  had  lent  that 
tenderly  reared,  frailly  built  man  nerves  as  of  steel 
and  helped  him  to  endure  amid  surroundings  and 
in  dangers  to  which  so  many  stronger  men  were 
not  equal. 

Both  held  out ;  side  by  side  they  pressed  forward, 
always  in  advance,  always  the  first.  While  Ulrich's 
giant  strength  accomplished  almost  incredible 
things  and  triumphed  over  obstacles  which  seemed 
invincible  to  human  hand,  it  sufficed  to  the  "  mas- 
ter" that  he  stood  at  the  head,  that  he  was  the 
head.  He  could  in  truth  not  do  much  more 
than  inspire  the  men  with  courage  for  their 
work,  but  this  was  enough,  far  more  than  his 
arm  could  have  accomplished.  Three  times 
already  had  the  hand  of  his  more  experienced 
companion  snatched  him  back,  when,  unacquaint- 


392  GOOD  LUCK. 

ed  with  the  dangers  of  the  mines,  he  had  im- 
prudently exposed  himself;  repeatedly  the  chief 
engineer  had  entreated  him  to  turn  back,  now  that 
there  were  men  enough  to  help  and  officers  enough 
to  assist ;  every  time  Arthur  most  decidedly  refused. 
He  felt  how  much  depended  upon  his  remaining 
among  the  workmen,  who  from  mutiny  and  sedi- 
tion had  hastened  to  this  work  of  rescue.  They  all 
looked  upon  the  chief  who,  since  he  had  been 
aroused  to  self-dependence,  had  always  been  op- 
posed to  them,  and  who  to-day  for  the  first  time 
stood  with  them  in  need  and  death  ;  who  like  the 
humblest  of  them  periled  his  life ;  like  them,  had 
left  up  above  there  a  young  wife  in  mortal  anguish. 

In  this  hour  of  common  labor  and  danger  there 
was  at  last  extorted  from  them  the  confidence  they 
had  so  long  denied.  There  below,  in  the  depths  of 
those  rocky  mines,  the  old  hatred  and  the  old  dis- 
sension were  buried ;  there  the  quarrel  ended. 
Arthur  knew  that  for  him  the  remaining  here 
meant  more  than  a  mere  risk  of  his  life,  which 
any  other  in  his  place  might  have  offered ;  he  knew 
that  by  this  perseverance  he  contended  for  the 
future  of  his  works  ;  and  for  this  price  he  left  Eu- 
genie alone  in  her  anguish  and  remained. 

The  work  went  on  with  unwearied  energy,  un- 
wearied persistence.  They  pressed  forward  slowly, 
step  by  step,  but  still  they  pressed  forward,  and  soon 
the  malicious  powers  of  the  mines  yielded  to  the  will 
of  men  who  had  forced  a  path  to  their  brothers  there 
below.  When  the  sun  above  neared  his  setting  the 


&OOD  LUCK.  393 

way  to  rescue  had  been  found,  and  the  rescued  were 
lifted  up  to  the  light  of  day,  wounded  indeed,  half- 
suffocated,  stupefied  by  terror  and  mortal  agony, 
hut  still  living ;  and  there  followed  them,  as  it  were 
wearied  to  death,  the  rescuers.  The  chief  and 
Hartmann,  the  two  foremost  in  this  heroic  under- 
taking, were  the  last  to  return  :  they  would  not 
leave  the  mines  until  all  were  saved. 

"  I  do  not  know  what  it  means  that  the  chief  and 
Hartmann  still  linger  down  there,"  said  the  chief 
engineer  anxiously  to  the  surrounding  officers 
"They  were  already  at  the  outlet  when  the  last 
men  were  brought  up,  and  Hartmann  certainly 
knows  the  dangers  of  the  mines  too  well  to  linger  a 
moment  longer  than  necessity  demands.  The  ele- 
vator still  waits  below;  they  give  no  sign,  answer 
none  of  our  signals.  What  does  that  mean  ?" 

"  What  if  an  accident  should  happen  at  the  very 
last  moment !"  said  Wilberg  nervously.  "  Just  now 
I  heard  a  strange  noise  in  the  mines,  just  as  the  last 
men  came  up.  The  distance  was  too  great  and  the 
creaking  of  the  elevator  too  loud  for  me  to  distin- 
guish plainly,  but  the  whole  earth  around  seemed 
shaken.  I  only  hope  that  no  falling  in  of  the  shafts 
has  followed." 

"  God  grant  that  it  may  be  so !"  cried  the  chief 
engineer.  ;'  Give  the  signal  with  all  your  might ! 
If  it  remains  unanswered  we  must  go  down  and  see 
what  has  happened." 


394  GOOD  LUCK. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

BUT  before  he  or  the  others  could  carry  out  this 
decision  the  signal  for  ascent  was  quickly  and  vio- 
lently given  from  below.  All  above  ground  tx-eathed 
more  freely  and  pressed  nearer  to  the  mouth  of  the 
shaft,  in  which,  after  a  short  delay,  the  elevator  ap- 
peared. 

TJlrich  stood  upon  it,  his  face  distorted  by  pain 
and  blackened  by  the  soot  of  the  mines,  his  clothes 
torn  and  covered  with  earth  and  gravel,  while  blood 
oozed  from  his  forehead  and  temples.  As  at  the 
descent,  his  arms  were  around  the  young  chief ;  but 
now  he  supported  not  merely  a  staggering  man. 
Arthur's  head  lay  upon  his  shoulder.  The  face  was 
white  as  death,  the  eyes  were  closed,  and  the  form 
hung  lifeless  and  motionless  in  the  arms  which 
held  it  upright  only  by  the  exertion  of  all  their 
strength. 

A  cry  of  horror  rose  from  all  sides.  The  men 
scarce  waited  until  the  machine  stood  still.  More 
than  twenty  arms  were  outstretched  to  receive  the 
unconscious  man  and  bear  him  to  his  wife,  who, 
like  all  the  others,  during  the  whole  time  had  not 
moved  from  the  scene  of  the  accident.  All  crowd- 
ed around  Arthur  and  his  wife.  They  called  for 
assistance,  for  the  physician ;  and  none  in  all  the 


GOOD  LUGS'.  395 

confusion  had  a  thought  for  Ulrich,  who,  strangely 
silent  and  submissive,  had  let  them  take  the  burden 
from  his  arms. 

He  did  not  spring  with  his  wonted  quickness  and 
agility  from  the  elevator ;  slowty,  painfully  he 
stepped  out,  and  had  to  grasp  twice  at  the  chain  for 
support.  Not  a  syllable  was  heard  from  him,  but 
the  young  miner's  teeth  were  set  in  silent  agony, 
and  the  blood  now  flowed  in  a  torrent,  although, 
under  the  thick  coating  of  dust  and  soot,  none  saw 
that  in  deathly  pallor  his  face  quite  equaled  that  of 
the  young  chief.  He  staggered  a  few  steps  for- 
ward, until  near  the  group  which  was  now  pressing 
around  Arthur ;  then  he  suddenly  paused,  and  with 
both  amis  embraced  a  pillar  of  the  building  for 
support. 

"  Calm  yourself,  my  lady  :  it  is  only  a  swoon," 
consolingly  said  the  physician  who  had  hastened  to 
the  aid  of  Arthur  Berkow.  "  I  do  not  find  that 
your  husband  has  sustained  the  slightest  injury. 
He  will  recover." 

Eugenie  did  not  hear  the  comforting  words  ;  she 
saw  only  the  closed  eyes,  only  the  prostrate  form 
which  gave  no  sign  of  life. 

There  had  been  a  time  in  this  young  wife's  ex- 
perience when  only  a  few  hours  after  her  marriage  a 
stranger  hand  had  rescued  her  from  mortal  peril, 
and  she  was  still  in  uncertainty  as  to  her  husband's 
fate — a  time  when  with  cool  self-composure,  almost 
indifference,  she  had  said  to  the  rescuer :  "  See 
after  Herr  Berkow  1" 


396  GOOD  LUCK 

That  sin  of  coldness  and  disdain  was  now  bitterly 
atoned  for  by  the  anguish  of  these  last  hours,  in 
which  she  had  learned  what  it  means  to  tremble  for 
the  loved  one  without  being  able  to  help  him  or 
even  to  be  near  him.  Now  she  allowed  no  other  at 
his  side ;  now  she  knelt  by  his  prostrate  form,  and, 
like  any  other  wife,  in  hopeless  agony  called  her 
husband's  name : 

"  Arthur !" 

It  was  a  cry  of  passionate  love,  of  utter  despair  ; 
and  as  it  rang  forth  a  convulsive  quiver  passed 
through  the  frame  of  the  young  miner,  who  still 
leaned  against  the  pillar  for  support. 

Yet  once  again  he  turned  his  melancholy  blue 
eyes  and  fixed  them  upon  both,  but  in  them  there 
lay  nothing  of  the  old  hatred  and  defiance,  only  a 
deep,  silent  agony.  Then  their  glance  was  veiled  ; 
the  hand  rose,  not  to  the  bleeding  forehead,  but  to 
the  breast,  which,  though  it  bore  no  wound,  he 
pressed  tightly,  as  if  there  were  the  worst  pain  of 
all  ;  and  at  the  very  moment  when  Arthur,  in  the 
arms  of  his  wife,  opened  his  eyes,  Ulrich  fell  sense- 
less behind  them. 

Although  all  had  been  rescued  from  the  mines,  a 
strange  silence  and  oppression  rested  upon  the  as- 
sembled throng.  No  shouts,  no  expressions  of  joy 
were  audible  :  the  appearance  of  the  rescued  men 
forbade.  They  did  not  yet  know  who  would  really 
be  restored  to  life,  or  if  Death  might  not  yet  de- 
mand the  victims  with  such  difficulty  snatched  from 


GOOD  LUCK.  397 

his  grasp.  The  young  chief  had  recovered  from  his 
swoon  more  quickly  than  had  been  hoped.  It  had 
been  a  caving  in  of  earth  which  at  the  very  last 
moment  had  struck  him  and  his  companion,  but 
which,  strange  to  relate,  had  not  wounded  Arthur 
in  the  least.  He  again  stood  upright,  although  still 
weak  and  pale,  and  leaning  upon  his  wife's  arm 
tried  to  collect  his  scattered  thoughts  so  as  to  an- 
swer her  anxious  inquiries. 

"  We  had  already  reached  the  outlet  of  the  shaft, 
Hartmann  some  steps  ahead,  and  therefore  in 
safety  ;  then  he  must  have  remarked  some  token  of 
danger.  I  saw  him  suddenly  rush  back  to  me  and 
grasp  my  arm :  but  it  was  too  late ;  already  all 
above  and  around  us  wavered.  1  only  felt  how  he 
flung  me  to  the  ground  and  threw  himself  over  me  ; 
I  felt  how  with  his  own  body  he  covered  me  from 
the  down-rushing  fragments ;  then  my  senses  left 
me." 

Eugenie  made  no  answer.  She  had  so  unspeak- 
ably feared  the  nearness  of  this  man !  she  had 
trembled  with  such  indescribable  terror  when  she 
heard  that  Arthur  was  about  to  take  this  venture 
in  his  company !  And  now  she  must  thank  his 
presence  alone  that  she  held  her  husband  alive  and 
safe  in  her  arms. 

The  chief  engineer  approached  these  two.  His 
face  was  very  grave  and  his  voice  was  deep  and 
mournful  as  he  said  : 

"  The  physician  thinks  they  will  all  recover — all 
"Dut  one,  and  that  is  Hartmann  ;  him  no  help  can 


398  GOOD  LUCK. 

avail.  What  he  did  down  in  the  mines  to-day  was 
too  much  for  even  his  giant  nature,  and  the  wound 
has  done  the  rest.  I  cannot  at  all  comprehend  how, 
in  spite  of  this  severe  wound,  he  succeeded  in  lift- 
ing you  up  from  the  mass  of  earth  and  stones,  Herr 
Berkow,  in  placing  you  in  the  elevator,  and  hold- 
ing you  fast  until  you  came  safe  to  the  light  of  day. 
He  did  it,  but  he  must  atone  for  it  with  his  life." 

Arthur  looked  at  his  wife.  Their  glances  met 
and  each  understood  the  other.  In  spite  of  his  ex- 
haustion Arthur  roused  himself,  and  grasping 
Eugenie's  hand  led  her  forth  to  the  place  where  the 
rescued  miners  had  at  first  been  taken  to  receive 
the  aid  and  sympathy  so  abundantly  offered. 

Friends  and  relatives  had  borne  away  all  but  one. 
Ulrich  Hartmann  lay  stretched  upon  the  ground. 
His  father  had  not  yet  returned  to  consciousness 
and  knew  nothing  of  the  fate  of  his  son ;  but  he 
was  not  alone  nor  dependent  upon  stranger  aid.  At 
his  side  knelt  a  young  girl,  who  held  the  dying 
man's  head  in  her  arms  and  with  an  expression  of 
heart-rending  agony  gazed  into  his  face,  without  in 
the  least  regarding  her  betrothed,  who  stood  on  the 
other  side  and  held  the  hand  of  his  friend,  now 
growing  cold.  Ulrich  did  not  see  either:  he  per- 
haps did  not  know  that  they  were  near  him.  His 
wide-open  eyes  were  fixed  upon  the  flaming  even- 
ing sky,  upon  the  sinking  sun,  as  if  he  would  re- 
ceive yet  one  beam  of  the  eternal  light  and  take  it 
with  him  over  into  the  long  rayless  night  before 
him, 


GOOD  LUCR.  399 

Arthur  had  addressed  a  half-audible  question  to 
the  physician  who  stood  near ;  he  answered  with  a 
silent  shrug  of  the  shoulders.  The  young  chief 
knew  enough.  Loosening  his  hand  from  that  of 
his  wife,  he  whispered  some  words  in  her  ear  and 
then  stepped  aside,  while  Eugenie  bent  over  Ulrich 
and  called  his  name. 

Then,  even  through  the  mists  of  death,  broke 
forth  a  mighty  flame.  The  whole  fire  and  passion 
of  a  lifetime  were  for  a  moment  concentrated  in 
that  glance  which  with  the  fullest  consciousness  he 
gave  the  young  woman,  from  whose  lips  came  this 
low,  sorrowful  question : 

"  Hartmann,  are  you  severely  wounded  ?" 

The  agony  of  a  few  moments  before  again  quiv- 
ered through  his  features  ;  his  voice  sounded  hollow 
and  broken,  but  calm. 

"Why  do  you  ask  after  me?  You  have  him 
again.  Why  should  I  want  to  live  ?  I  have  al- 
ready said  to  you,  '  he  or  I.'  I  certainly  then  sup- 
posed things  would  turn  out  quite  differently  from 
this,  but  that  threat  passed  through  my  mind  when 
the  wall  fell  in.  I  thought  of  you  and  of  your  sor- 
row, and  I  remembered  also  that  he  had  reached 
me  his  hand  as  no  other  man  would  have  done  ;  and 
then,  then — I  threw  myself  upon  him  to  shield  him 
irom  the  impending  danger." 

He  sunk  back.  While  he  yet  spoke  the  spark, 
kindlii.g  into  a  fitful  momentary  gleam,  went  out ; 
ou«  ire  wild,  glowing  life,  without  pain  or  struggle, 
bled  slowly  and  calmly  away  to  death. 


400  GOOD  LUCK. 

The  man  whose  whole  existence  had  been  only 
hatred  and  warfare  against  those  whom  destiny 
had  placed  above  him  had  found  his  death  in  rescu- 
ing the  chief  he  hated.  The  prophecy  the  waters 
of  the  stream  had  yesterday  murmured  in  his  ear 
was  now  verified.  From  the  depths  of  the  mines, 
from  a  deed  of  self-sacrifice,  the  death-greeting  had 
come  to  him.  There  was  now  no  need  that  he 
should  gaze  with  anxious  foreboding  out  into  a  to- 
morrow so  thickly  veiled  from  his  sight.  With 
that  to-morrow  all  had  ended  for  him — all ! 

From  the  highway  yonder  sounded  the  measured 
tread  of  an  advancing  host,  words  of  command, 
and  the  clatter  of  arms.  The  military  help  ex- 
pected from  the  garrison  had  arrived  to  put  down 
the  revolt.  Immediately  upon  entering  the  colony 
the  commanding  officer  learned  what  had  happened, 
and  bidding  his  men  halt  he  had  come,  accompanied 
by  a  few  of  his  subordinates,  to  the  scene  of  the 
disaster,  where  he  asked  an  interview  with  the 
chief. 

"  I  thank  you,  colonel,"  said  Arthur  Berkow  with 
quiet  gravity,  "  but  you  came  too  late.  I  do  not 
need  your  help  against  my  men.  In  a  mutual  ten 
hours'  struggle  for  the  lives  of  our  miners  we  have 
made  peace — let  it  be  hoped  forever  1" 


GOOD  LUCK  401 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

AGAIN  it  was  summer ;  again  summer's  splendor 
and  sunshine  lay  upon  wooded  hills  and  valleys  and 
over  all  the  Berkow  colony,  where  life,  as  stirring 
and  vigorous  as  ever,  had  become  more  free  and 
happy.  There  floated  now,  as  it  were,  an  atmos- 
phere of  freedom  and  prosperity  over  all  the 
works,  which  had  lost  nothing  in  magnitude,  while 
they  had  won  all  which  had  been  wanting  to  them. 
This  certainly  had  not  been  a  work  of  weeks  or 
months :  it  had  taken  years ;  and  they  had  been  full 
of  anxiety  and  toil — those  years  which  had  followed 
the  catastrophe. 

When  work  upon  the  mines  was  resumed  a  heavy 
burden  lay  upon  the  shoulders  of  the  young  chief, 
who,  although  he  had  made  peace  with  his  work- 
men, stood  upon  the  brink  of  ruin.  That  time  of 
danger,  when  by  his  personal  courage  and  sacrifice 
he  had  opposed  the  excesses  of  a  rebellious  mob,  was 
over ;  but  now  came  other,  graver  duties — a  time  of 
care,  of  steady,  arduous  work,  of  often  despairing 
conflict  with  the  might  of  circumstance ;  and  these 
almost  crushed  Arthur  to  the  earth. 

In  the  first  struggle  he  had  learned  and  proved 
his  strength ;  in  the  second  he  knew  how  to  use  it. 


402  GOOD  LUCK. 

For  more  than  a  year  it  had  remained  doubtful 
whether  the  mines  would  retain  their  organization 
or  their  possessor,  and  even  after  this  first  dan- 
gerous crisis  was  past  there  were  still  enough 
dangers  and  losses  to  challenge  the  utmost  endur- 
ance. 

During  the  later  years  of  the  elder  Berkow  dar- 
ing speculations,  boundless  expenditures,  and,  above 
all,  a  system  of  operations  based  only  upon  im- 
mediate gain — a  system  whose  disastrous  con- 
sequences had  at  last  fallen  upon  the  proprietor 
himself — had  imperiled  both  the  Berkow  position 
and  fortune.  The  cessation  of  the  works,  which  for 
almost  a  month  had  lain  idle,  the  accident  in  the 
mines,  to  repair  which  great  sums  were  necessary, 
threatened  utter  ruin  to  the  already  half-ruined 
chief.  More  than  once  it  seemed  impossible  to 
maintain  the  works;  more  than  once  it  seemed  as  if 
the  wounds  which  past  dissensions  and  more  than 
all  this  last  quarrel  had  inflicted  must  be  incurable ; 
but  Arthur's  character,  aroused  at  so  late  an  hour, 
grew  firm  as  steel  and  became  fully  developed  in 
this  school  of  enforced  uninterrupted  activity. 

All  had  tottered  and  threatened  to  collapse  when, 
years  before,  the  young  chief  had  assumed  the 
arduous  task  of  creating  a  new  order  of  things  out 
of  the  chaos  of  business  obligations  and  demands 
which  must  first  of  all  be  arranged.  But  he  had 
learned  confidence  in  himself ;  he  had  his  wife  at  his 
side ;  and  he  had  a  whole  future,  a  life's  happiness 
for  her  and  himself  to  win.  This  it  was  which  lent 


GOOD  LUCK  403 

him  courage,  where  perhaps  any  other  would  have 
given  up,  will-less  and  despairing;  this  it  was  which 
sustained  him  when  the  task  seemed  beyond  his 
strength  ;  this  it  was  which  at  the  last  won  for  him 
the  victory. 

Now  the  last  painful  consequences  of  that  catas- 
trophe were  overcome,  and  the  old  prosperity  had 
been  restored  to  all  the  enterprises  attached  to  the 
name  of  Berkow.  But  this  name  had  been  divested 
of  its  former  ill- repute :  it  now  stood  pure  and 
honorable  before  all  the  world.  The  works,  with 
their  giant  extent  and  their  vast  activity,  were  more 
firmly  and  securely  grounded  than  ever  before,  and 
Avith  them  also  the  wealth  of  their  possessor.  This 
wealth  had  once  threatened  to  prove  fatal  to  the 
young,  spoiled  heir  and  had  in  a  measure  become 
so,  because  without  eifort  of  his  own  a  fortune  had 
been  laid  at  his  feet  and  he  had  regarded  it  with 
scornful  indifference.  Now,  when  in  a  struggle  of 
years'  duration  he  had  been  obliged  to  win  back  the 
lost  fortune — now,  when  in  his  hands  it  had  become 
a  blessing  for  many,  it  had  also  become  of  worth 
to  him. 

It  was  toward  mid-day,  and  the  director  and  the 
chief  engineer  were  going  home  from  the  mines. 
Both  had  grown  older  with  the  lapse  of  years,  but 
they  had  not  changed.  The  one  had  retained  his 
good-nature,  the  other  his  malice,  which  once  more 
gave  intonation  to  his  voice  as  he  said,  continuing 
the  conversation  before  begun : 


404  GOOD  LUCK. 

"The  Herr  Baron  Windeg  has  announced  his 
coming  through  his  eldest  son.  It  seems  they  now 
plume  themselves  somewhat  on  a  relationship  to 
which  at  first  they  vouchsafed  to  descend  very 
much  against  their  will.  Since  our  business  and 
our  organization  have  received  such  wonderfully 
flattering  attention  from  government,  those  in 
higher  places  have  become  interested  in  us  and  the 
old  aristocracy  consider  our  works  worthy  of  repre- 
sentation at  court.  This  son-in-law  certainly  can 
rank  with  the  Windegs.  The  whole  Rabenau  heir- 
ship  and  magnificence  does  not  half-equal  the 
Berkow  possessions  and  the  influence  of  our  chief. 
The  baron  now  sees  that  with  his  estates  he  is  lost 
in  the  multitude  of  other  proprietors,  while  we  have 
become  a  power  in  the  province  to  which  no  one 
any  longer  denies  recognition." 

"  But  we  are  accomplishing  more  than  any  of  the 
other  works,"  said  the  director.  "They  are  every- 
where studying  our  organization  and  our  improve- 
ments ;  and  yet  none  have  imitated  us." 

"Ah,  yes;  and  if  things  go  on  as  now  we  shall 
soon  be  ranked  among  those  '  philanthropic  institu- 
tions' against  which  the  late  Herr  Berkow  once  so 
vigorously  protested.  Well,  God  be  thanked " — 
here  the  chief  engineer  raised  his  head  with  intense 
self-satisfaction^"  we  are  able  now  to  be  one  of 
these  !  It  does  not  at  all  embarrass  us  to  expend 
upon  our  workmen  sums  that  other  proprietors 
must  anxiously  hide  in  their  pockets;  and  these 
sums  are  not  small.  And  yet  only  a  little  while 


QOOD  LUCK.  405 

ago  we  had  neither  means  nor  influence,  but  had  to 
struggle  for  the  very  existence  of  the  works ;  and 
we  could  not  have  saved  them  if  at  the  decisive 
crisis  two  lucky  accidents  had  not  come  to  our 
help." 

"  And  if  our  miners  had  not  conducted  themselves 
so  excellently,"  added  the  director  gravely.  "  It 
was  no  slight  thing  for  them  to  remain  calm  while 
mutiny  and  insurrection  continued  all  around  us  upon 
the  other  works.  That  acccident  in  the  mines  cost 
us  vast  expenditures  of  money  when  every  thousand 
was  difficult  for  us  to  obtain,  but  I  believe  that  with 
these  outlays  we  have  not  paid  too  dearly  for  what 
we  have  won  from  our  workmen.  No  man  forgets 
to-day,  none  will  ever  forget,  those  hours  of  anxiety 
and  danger  our  chief  shared  with  them  in  the  mines 
to  rescue  their  comrades.  These  have  bound  him 
and  his  miners  together.  Since  that  day  they  have 
believed  in  him  and  in  his  promise  to  do  all  in  his 
power  to  promote  their  interest,  if  they  would  only 
give  him  time  and  permission  to  proceed  in  the 
way  he  thought  best.  They  have  honorably 
waited,  and  it  is  no  wonder  that  he  has  done  more 
than  he  promised." 

"  All  very  well !"  said  the  chief  engineer  dryly. 
"  He  can  now  afford  himself  some  luxuries  in  the 
way  of  benevolence.  But  under  the  circumstances 
it  is  a  consoling  fact  that  we  are  carrying  on  a  most 
flourishing  business  with  our  philanthropy,  as  our 
yearly  accounts  prove.  They  are  far  more  con- 
siderable than  under  the  old  regime,  which  could 


406  GOOD  LUCK. 

not  be  reproached  with  any  especial  philanthropic 
acts ;  and  still  at  that  time  all  that  could  be  forced 
out  of  the  works  was  forced  out  of  them." 

"  You  are  an  incorrigible  scoffer !"  said   the  di- ,. 
rector  angrily.     "  You  know  best  of  all  that  Herr 
Berkow  does  not  allow  himself  to  be  actuated  by 
such  motives." 

"  No,  he  is  too  much  of  an  idealist  for  that,"  re- 
plied the  chief  engineer,  taking  the  reproach  very 
indifferently.  "  Happily  he  is  no  more  so  than  ac- 
cords with  practice,  for  he  has  been  led  through  too 
bitter  a  school  not  to  know  that  in  the  end  the  prac- 
tical must  remain  the  foundation  and  prime  condi- 
tion of  all  such  efforts.  For  my  part,  I  am  no  ideal- 
ist :  you  must  know  that." 

The  director  laughed  somewhat  maliciously. 

"  Yes,  we  all  know  that,"  said  he ;  "  but  may  it 
not  in  a  measure  change  matters  when  such  a  highly 
ideal  element  as  Herr  Wilberg  enters  your  family  ? 
That  is  very  soon  to  happen,  is  it  not,  Herr  Col- 
league ?" 

By  this  reminder  the  director  seemed  to  have  re- 
turned a  sly  thrust  to  his  colleague,  for  the  latter 
drew  down  his  face  and  said  petulantly  : 

"  Don't  speak  of  this  to  me  again  !  I  hear  enough 
of  it  at  home.  That  must  suffice  me — me  who  de- 
test nothing  so  much  as  sentimentality  and  affecta- 
tion! And  even  for  me  destiny  seems  to  have 
raised  up  a  prospective  son-in-law  who  makes  verses 
and  plays  the  guitar  !  The  fellow  is  not  to  be  got 
rid  of,  with  his  wooing  and  his  sighing ;  and 


GOOD  LUCK.  407 

Melanie  will  not  listen  to  reason.  But  I  have  not 
yet  said  '  Yes,'  and  it  is  doubtful  if  ever  I  do." 

"  Well,  we  will  leave  all  that  to  Melanie,"  laughed 
the  director.  "  She  has  her  father's  obstinacy  in 
many  things  and  knows  how  to  carry  out  her  will. 
I  can  assure  you  that  Wilberg  already  goes  about 
with  an  air  as  if  certain  of  victory,  and  waives  all 
congratulations  with  a  very  expressive  '  Not  yet  /' 
The  two  young  people  must  feel  sure  of  success. 
Adieu,  dear  colleague !  Will  you  not  announce  this 
joyful  family  event  to  me  first  of  all  ?" 

This  time  the  malice  was  on  the  director's  side, 
and  it  seemed  to  have  its  effect,  for  with  a  very  de- 
cided air  the  chief  engineer  mounted  the  steps  of 
his  dwelling,  where  his  daughter  already  had  come 
to  meet  him.  Fraulein  Melanie  to  day  showed  an 
extraordinary  tenderness  for  her  father.  She  kissed 
him,  she  took  his  hat  and  gloves,  she  flattered  him 
a  little;  and  after  these  preliminaries  took  him 
aside  to  make  a  request  of  him. 

"  Papa,  there  is  some  one  here  who  wishes  to 
speak  with  you,"  she  said,  "  who  wishes  to  speak  at 
once  and  urgently.  He  is  within  with  mamma. 
Shall  I  bring  him  out?" 

"  I  am  not  to  be  spoken  to !"  growled  the  father, 
who  already  suspected  what  lay  before  him. 

But  the  young  girl  did  not  take  the  slightest 
notice  of  the  refusal.  She  vanished  into  the  adjoin- 
ing room  and  the  next  minute  pushed  out  the  "  some 
one,"  after  she  had  hastily  whispered  a  few  encour- 
aging words  in  his  ear. 


40B  GOOD  LUCK. 

The  latter  precaution  seemed  necessary,  for  Herr 
Wilberg,  who,  with  his  blond  hair  carefully  brushed, 
presented  himself  in  a  dress  coat  and  other  especial 
tokens  of  the  official  wooer,  stood  there  as  if  he  had 
unawares  been  cast  into  a  lion's  den.  He  had  pre- 
pared an  elegant,  well-arranged  speech  for  this 
momentous  occasion,  but  the  grim  mien  of  his 
superior  officer,  who  in  any  other  than  an  encour- 
aging tone  asked  what  he  could  possibly  want  of 
him,  made  him  quite  forget  it  all. 

"  My  wishes  and  hopes  " — stammered  he  ;  "  em- 
boldened by  the  affection  of  Fraulein  Melanie — the 
highest  happiness  to  be  able  to  call  her  mine — 

"I  thought  as  much.  The  man  cannot  make  even 
a  sensible  proposal !"  muttered  the  chief  engineer, 
not  thinking  that  the  reception  he  had  given  poor 
Wilberg  was  quite  enough  to  deprive  any  wooer  of 
his  self-possession.  But  as  the  young  man  grew 
more  and  more  embarrassed,  more  involved  in  his 
speech,  he  cut  short  his  words. 

"  Now  just  be  silent !  It  is  certainly  no  secret  to 
me  what  you  wish  and  hope.  You  wish  to  have  me 
for  a  father-in-law." 

Wilberg  looked  as  if  this  last  unavoidable  ap- 
pendage to  his  future  marriage  inspired  him  with 
no  especial  rapture. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon.  I  wished  first  of  all  to  have 
Fraulein  Melanie  for  my  wife,"  remarked  he  timidly. 

"  Ah  !  and  you  very  unwillingly  take  me  into  the 
bargain  ?"  asked  the  enraged  father-in-law  in  spe. 
"  I  cannot  at  all  understand  ho\v  you  dare  come  to 


GOOD  LUCK.  409 

me  with  such  a  proposal.  Have  you  not  loved  her 
ladyship?  Have  you  not  filled  sheet  after  sheet 
with  verses  to  her?  Why  do  you  not  go  on  with 
this  Platonic  love  ?" 

"  Good  heavens !  that  was  years  ago  !"  pleaded 
the  young  officer  in  self-justification.  "Melanie 
knew  that  long  ago  ;  and  it  was  that  very  thing 
which  brought  us  together.  There  are  two  kinds 
of  love,  my  dear  sir — a  youthful  enthusiasm  which 
seeks  its  ideal  in  unattainable  heights,  and  an  en- 
during affection  which  finds  upon  the  earth  alone 
what  can  really  make  it  happy." 

"  And  so  my  daughter  is  good  enough  for  this 
earthly,  home-bred  love !  Get  out  with  your  non- 
sense !"  cried  the  chief  engineer  in  a  rage. 

"  You  will  not  understand  me,"  said  Wilberg, 
deeply  wounded,  but  still  with  some  self-possession. 
He  knew  what  a  powerful  ally  he  had  in  the  next 
room.  "  Melanie  understands  me.  She  has  already 
given  me  her  hand  and  heart." 

"  That  is  a  pretty  state  of  things !"  growled  the 
enraged  father.  "If  daughters  thus  unhesitatingly 
make  presents  of  their  hands  and  hearts,  I  would 
really  like  to  know  what  fathers  are  for.  Wilberg" 
— here  his  voice  became  somewhat  milder — "  I  do 
you  the  justice  to  say  that  during  these  last  few 
years  you  have  become  somewhat  more  sensible, 
yet  not  sensible  enough  by  a  great  deal.  For  ex- 
ample, you  have  never  been  able  to  leave  off  this 
poetizing.  I  would  wager  that  you  even  now  carry 
some  lyric  about  you." 


410  GOOD  LUCK. 

He  leered  rather  suspiciously  at  the  young  man's 
breast-pocket.  Wilberg  blushed. 

"  As  a  betrothed  man,  might  I  not  legitimate^ 
do  this  ?"  he  remarked  in  a  timid,  questioning  way. 

"Ah,  yes!  and  serenades  too.  This  will  be  a 
beautiful  summer,"  muttered  the  chief  engineer 
despairingly.  "  See  here,  Wilberg  !  If  I  did  not 
know  that  Melanie  has  my  nature  and  will  carry 
out  this  romantic  whim  in  spite  of  me,  I  should  say 
'No,'  absolutely  No!  But  I  believe  you  need  a 
sensible  wife,  and,  above  all  things,  a  sensible  father- 
in-law  who  from  time  to  time  will  set  your  head 
right.  And  so,  as  I  really  cannot  help  myself,  I 
will  let  you  marry  each  other." 

Whether  the  latter  acquisition  seemed  a  very  en- 
viable one  to  Herr  Wilberg  may  well  be  doubted, 
but  in  his  rapture  over  the  former  he  forgot  all 
else  and  hastened  to  embrace  the  prospective  father- 
in-law,  who  made  rather  short  work  with  this 
formality. 

"  No  sentimentality  !"  he  said  very  decidedly.  "  I 
cannot  suffer  it  and  we  need  not  delay  for  this. 
Now  come  with  me  to  Melanie.  You  long  ago 
planned  all  this  behind  my  back,  but  I  tell  you  if  I 
ever  catch  you  making  verses  and  my  child  with  red 
weeping  eyes,  then  Heaven  help  you  1" 

While  the  chief  engineer  thus  yielded  to  an  in- 
evitable distiny,  up  on  the  terrace  of  the  country- 
house  stood  Arthur  Berkow  and  Curt  von  Windeg. 
The  latter,  who  had  already  bidden  adieu  to  his  sis- 
ter, was  waiting  for  his  horse  to  be  led  up. 


GOOD  LUCK.  411 

The  deep  and  mighty  change  Arthurs  inward 
being  had  experienced  was  also  visible  outwardly. 
He  was  no  longer  the  delicate,  slender,  pale  young 
man  whose  youthful  strength  and  freshness  had  so 
nearly  been  lost  by  his  life  in  the  Residence.  His 
appearance  now  fully  coincided  with  the  idea  one 
would  naturally  form  of  the  chief  who  knew  how 
to  conduct  such  giant  enterprises  with  such  energy. 
In  truth,  the  lines  which  had  so  early  been  en- 
graven upon  his  forehead,  and  which  years  of  care 
and  toil  had  deepened,  had  not  been  obliterated  by 
the  fortune  and  the  future  now  so  securely  and  per- 
manently established.  If  such  lines  once  find  place 
they  do  not  lightly  vanish  ;  but  they  did  not  ill  be 
come  this  forehead  and  these  features,  where  a.V 
was  strengthened  to  a  firm,  earnest  manhood.  Curl 
remained  the  young,  high-spirited  officer  whose 
lively  eyes  and  fresh  lips  had  lost  nothing  of  their 
brightness  and  merriment. 

"And  I  tell  you,  Arthur,"  he  said  excitedly, 
"  you  do  papa  wrong  if  you  imagine  he  has  still  any 
prejudice  against  you.  I  wish  you  could  have 
heard  with  me  how  he  answered  old  Prince  Wald- 
stein,  when  he  declared  that  our  mining  proprietors, 
in  the  present  state  of  excitement  and  insurrection 
among  the  workmen,  could  have  no  enviable 
position.  '  This  cannot  at  all  apply  to  my  son-in- 
law,'  said  papa  with  full  aplomb.  '  He  stands  too 
firmly  in  his  position  and  has  too  unlimited  authority 
among  his  workmen,  who  really  idolize  him ;  and 
my  son-in-law  is  certainly  equal  to  any  emergency.' 


412  GOOD  LUCK 

But  he  will  never  forgive  you  for  having  refused 
the  diploma  of  nobility,  and  he  cannot  become  rec- 
onciled to  having  his  grandson  bear  the  plebeian 
name  of  Berkow." 

A  somewhat  disdainful  smile  played  around 
Arthur's  lips. 

"  Well,  I  do  not  intend  that  the  name  shall  be  a 
disgrace  to  my  boy,"  he  said,  "  when  he  bears  it  out 
into  the  world,  and  I  hope  your  father  may  live  to 
see  him  placed  beside  a  young  Windeg.  How 
stands  it  with  your  betrothal,  Curt  ?" 

The  young  officer  drew  down  his  face. 

"  Well,"  drawled  he,  "  I  suppose  that  will  be  the 
next  thing  to  happen  when  we  are  again  in  Rabenau. 
Count  Berning's  estates  join  ours,  and  the  Countess 
Alma  will  be  eighteen  next  spring.  Papa  thinks 
that  in  my  position  of  head  of  the  house  and  future 
heir  it  is  time  I  seriously  thought  of  marriage.  He 
has  commanded  me  to  make  proposals  to  the  young 
countess  this  summer." 

"  Commanded .?"  laughed  Arthur.  "  And  will  you 
marry  at  command  ?" 

u  Well,  what  did  you  do,  then,  in  your  marrying  ?" 
asked  Curt  rather  pettishly. 

"  Ah,  yes !  you  are  right.  But  with  us  it  was  an 
exceptional  case." 

"  And  it  is  not  at  all  one  with  us,"  said  Curt  in- 
differently. "  It  is  usually  so  in  our  circle.  Papa 
wishes  to  see  me  married  soon  and  according  to  my 
rank,  and  he  will  allow  no  contradiction  unless  from 
you.  You  have  so  impressed  him  that  whatever 


GOOD  LUCK.  413 

you  do  is  sure  to  please  him.  But  I  have  no  par- 
ticular objections  to  the  marriage :  only  I  would 
like  to  remain  longer  free." 

Berkow  shook  his  head. 

"  I  believe  you  -do  quite  right  in  this  case,  Curt, 
to  submit  to  your  father's  wishes.  Alma  Berning, 
so  far  as  I  could  remark  at  our  last  visit  to 
Babenau,  is  an  amiable  girl ;  and  it  is  really  time 
for  the  future  heir  to  step  forward  and  for  the  wild 
young  lieutenant  to  retire.  He  has  played  some 
mad  pranks,  this  lieutenant." 

Curt  petulantly  flung  back  his  head. 

"  Ah,  yes !  and  from  the  paternal  side,  on  all 
such  occasions,  his  brother-in-law  is  held  up  before 
him  as  a  pattern  and  loaded  with  such  extravagant 
praises  that,  if  it  were  not  for  the  young  officer's 
firmly  grounded  preference  for  this  much-extolled 
exemplar,  he  might  come  to  hate  him  thoroughly. 
And  from  just  here  springs  that  plan  for  my  mar- 
riage. One  time,  at  a  scene  of  paternal  admonition, 
I  ventured  to  say,  '  Arthur  was  once  far  wilder 
than  I,  and  now,  as  a  married  man,  he  has  become 
your  highest  type  of  excellence  ;'  and  then  and 
there  papa  secretly  formed  the  idea  of  making  just 
such  a  model  husband  out  of  me !  Well,  for  my 
part  I  have  nothing  against  Alma ;  and  besides,  I 
will  take  an  example  from  Eugenie  and  you.  With 
perfect  indifference,  even  with  a  perfect  hatred,  you 
came  together  in  marriage,  and  have  at  last  founded 
a  real  romance  which  is  not  yet  ended.  Perhaps 
we,  too,  shall  be  as  happy." 


GOOD  LUCK. 


An  unmistakable  expression  of  irony  passed  over 
Arthur's  lips. 

"  I  doubt  that,  dear  Curt,"  hs  eaid.  "  You  do  not 
seem  at  all  created  for  a  romance  after  marriage  ; 
and,  above  all  things,  remember  every  woman  is  not 
an  Eugenie." 

The  young  baron  laughed  alond. 

"  I  thought  that  was  what  I  was  going  to  hear 
again.  With  exactly  the  same  tone,  Eugenie  said 
to  me  this  morning,  as  we  were  speaking  upon  this 
subject,  '  You  will  not  rank  Arthur  with  other  men, 
will  you  ?'  You  really  are  spinning  out  your  honey- 
moon to  a  great  length." 

"  We  had  to  renounce  it  at  the  beginning  and 
must  doubly  atone  for  the  delay.  Can  you  really 
not  remain  longer  ?"  asked  Arthur. 

;  My  leave  of  absence  extends  only  to  this  even- 
ing. 1  come  principally  to  announce  the  visit  of 
my  father  and  brothers.  Auj  Wiedersehen,  Arthur  !" 

He  swung  himself  upon  his  horse,  gave  another 
farewell  greeting  to  his  brother-in-law,  and  galloped 
away.  Arthur  was  just  going  into  the  house,  when 
an  old  miner  appeared  on  the  terrace  and  took  off 
his  hat  to  his  chief. 

"Ah,  Overseer  Hartmann  !"  said  Berkow  cordially. 
"  Would  you  speak  with  me  ?" 

The  overseer  approached  respectfully  and  yet 
confidentially. 

"  With  your  permission  I  would,  Herr  Berkow. 
I  have  just  been  up  yonder  at  my  post  and  saw  you 
take  leave  of  the  young  baron.  Then  I  thought  I 


GOOD  LUCK.  415 

would  come  and  thank  you  for  having  made 
Lorenz  master-miner.  It  has  given  great  joy  in 
our  house." 

"  Lorenz  has  during  these  last  years  shown  such 
efficiency  that  he  deserved  the  post,  and  with  his 
increasing  family  he  must  need  it." 

"  Well,  he  has  enough  for  wife  and  children  :  I 
see  to  that,"  said  the  overseer  good-humoredly. 
"  It  was  a  sensible  idea  in  Martha  to  make  him 
agree  to  live  in  my  house,  so  I  am  not  quite  alone 
in  my  old  age  and  have  great  joy  in  their  children. 
If  it  were  not  for  them  I  should  have  nothing  in 
the  wide  world." 

At  these  last  words  the  old  man's  face  grew  sad 
and  his  eyes  moist.  Arthur  looked  sympathetically 
down  on  him. 

"  Can  you  never  get  over  this  sorrow,  Hartmann  ?" 
he  asked. 

The  overseer  shook  his  head. 

"  I  cannot,  Herr  Berkow.  He  was  my  only  one ; 
and  although  he  too  often  caused  me  more  sorrow 
than  joy,  although  at  the  last,  with  his  uncontrol- 
lable nature,  he  quite  broke  away  from  me,  I  can- 
not forget  Ulrich.  Merciful  God  !  why  must  I,  an 
old  man,  be  rescued  with  all  the  others,  to  endure 
this  ?  With  that  one  all  else  was  buried  from  me." 

"You  should  not  speak  so,  Hartmann,"  said 
Arthur,  gently  chiding  him.  "  You  have  still  a  firm 
dependence  in  Martha  and  her  husband." 

The  old  man  sighed. 

"  Yes,  in  Martha !     She  also,  like  me,  cannot  get 


416  GOOD  LUCK. 

over  this  trouble.  Although  she  has  husband  and 
children,  and  a  good  husband  he  is,  I  see  many  a 
time  how  it  is  at  her  heart.  It  is  a  strange  thing 
with  many  people,  Herr  Berkow.  They  can  cause 
us  anguish  and  misery,  can  grieve  us  to  the  in- 
most heart,  and  still  we  love  them  better  than  the 
noblest  and  best,  who  have  never  given  us  a  sorrow- 
ful hour ;  we  cannot  loose  our  thoughts  from  them. 
Such  a  one  was  my  Ulrich.  What  he  was  to  his 
comrades  before  that  unfortunate  quarrel  broke  out, 
none  before  or  after  him  has  been  ;  and  though  no 
blessing  followed  where  he  led  them,  the}7  have  not 
to  this  day  forgotten  him." 

The  old  man  wiped  the  bitter  tears  from  his  eyes 
as  he  grasped  the  hand  Arthur  had  offered  in  silent 
sympathy  and  went  quietly  away.  Eugenie,  who 
during  the  last  moments  had  appeared  in  the  door 
without  wishing  to  interrupt  the  conversation,  now 
stepped  to  her  husband. 

"  Can  Hartmann  never  be  reconciled  ?"  she  asked 
softly.  "  I  never  supposed  that  he  loved  his  son  so 
deeply  and  passionately." 

Arthur  gazed  after  the  retreating  form. 

"  I  comprehend  that,"  he  said,  "  as  I  comprehend 
the  blind  devotion  of  his  comrades.  There  was 
something  mightily  fascinating  in  the  nature,  in  the 
whole  individuality  of  this  man.  If  I  experienced 
this — I  who  had  to  wrestle  with  him  for  life  and 
death — how  much  more  those  for  whom  he  wrestled ! 
What  might  this  Ulrich  and  his  followers  not  have 
accomplished  if  he  had  only  understood  his  mission 


GOOD  LUCK.  417 

in  the  world  to  be  something  other  than  hatred  and 
destruction  to  all  existing  things  !" 

The  young  wife  looked  almost  reproachfully  up 
to  her  husband  as  she  replied : 

"  And  yet  he  proved  to  us  that  he  could  do  some- 
thing else  than  blindly  hate.  He  was  your  avowed 
enemy,  but  when  only  one  of  you  two  could  be 
saved  he  wrested  you  from  destruction  and  plunged 
into  death  himself." 

A  shadow  passed  over  Arthur's  face,  which  might 
well  grow  sad  at  the  remembrance  of  that  time. 

"  I,  of  all,  have  least  right  to  accuse  him,"  said 
he,  "and  I  have  never  done  so  since  his  hand 
rescued  me  from  certain  death.  But,  believe  me, 
Eugenie,  entire  reconciliation  with  such  an  element 
would  never  have  been  possible.  He  would  always 
have  imperiled  the  future  of  my  works,  prevented 
peace  with  my  workmen,  and  have  forced  me  to  a 
continual  struggle  for  the  mastery;  and  things 
between  us  had  been  carried  too  far  for  me  to 
allow  him  to  go  on  unpunished.  If  I  had  not  accused 
and  condemned  him  others  would  have  done  so. 
This  has  been  spared  to  him  and  to  us." 

Eugenie  leaned  her  head  upon  her  husband's 
shoulder.  It  was  still  the  beautiful  blond  head 
with  the  dark  eyes,  but  the  face  was  rosier  and 
sunnier  than  in  the  earlier  days  of  her  married  life. 
The  old  pallor  and  marble-like  coldness  had  van- 
ished from  its  expression,  which  was  now  beaming 
with  happiness. 

"It  was  a  sad  time,  Arthur,  that  which  followed 


418  GOOD  LUCK. 

the  catastrophe,"  she  said  with  a  voice  slightly 
tremulous.  "  You  had  a  terrible  battle  to  fight,  so 
terrible  that  my  courage  often  threatened  to  give 
way  utterly  when  I  saw  your  brow  always  clouded, 
your  eyes  always  sad,  and  I  could  still  do  nothing 
but  remain  at  your  side." 

"With  the  deepest  tenderness  he  bent  over  her. 

"  And  was  that  not  enough,  my  Eugenie  ?"  he 
said.  "  In  that  struggle  I  proved  the  might  of  two 
words  which  alone  gave  me  joyfulness  and  courage 
and  which  often  and  again  bore  me  up  when  the 
waves  threatened  to  overwhelm  me.  They  at 
the  last  have  helped  me  to  victory :  My  wife  and 
my  child!" 

The  sun  stood  high  in  the  clear  summer  heaven 
and  threw  its  beams  upon  the  Berkow  house  and 
its  flower-gemmed  terraces,  upon  the  works  in  the 
distance,  where  all  this  thousand-fold  life  and  ac- 
tivity had  developed  in  such  mighty  and  many- 
sided  forms  that  it  seemed  indeed  no  small  thing  to 
be  called  ruler  of  such  a  world.  And  these  same 
sunbeams  shed  their  glory  around  the  mountains, 
with  their  forest  crowns  upon  their  heads,  and 
that  deep,  mysterious  life  throbbing  within  their 
bosoms. 

The  somber  realm,  which  these  rocky  arms  would 
fain  have  eternally  enfolded  in  their  embrace  and 
shut  out  from  every  mortal  gaze,  had  still  been 
compelled  to  open  to  the  intellect  of  man.  Science 
had  forced  those  barriers  and  had  wrested  from  the 


GOOD  LUCK.  41& 

clefts  and  abysses  of  the  earth  those  treasures  so 
long  imprisoned  in  deepest  night.  And  now  they 
had  been  borne  upward  to  the  light  of  day,  unfet- 
tered by  that  ancient  magic  word  of  the  mountains, 
QluckauJ  ! 


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Natural  Law  in  the  Spiritual 
World.  Henry  Drummond. 

Nellie's  Memories.   Rosa  N.  Carey. 

Newcomes.  By  W.  M.  Thackeray. 

Nicholas  Nickleby.  Chas.  Dickens. 

Ninety-Three.     By    Victor   Hugo. 

Not  Like  Other  Girls.  By  Rosa 
N.  Carej. 


No   Name.     By   Wilkie  Collins. 

Odyssey.     Pope's  Translation. 

Old  Curiosity  Shop.  By  Charles 
Dickens. 

Old  Mam'selle's  Secret.  By  E. 
Marlitt. 

Old  Mortality.     Sir  Walter  Scott 

Old  Myddleton's  Money.  By  Mary 
Cecil  Hay. 

Oliver   Twist.     Charles    Dickens. 

Only  a   Word.     By  George  Ebera. 

Only  the  Governess.  By  Rosa  N. 
Carey. 

On  the  Heights.     B.   Auerbach. 

Origin  of  Species.     Chas.  Darwin. 

Other  Worlds  than  Ours.  Richard 
Proctor. 

Our  Bessie.     By  Rosa  N.  Carey. 

Our  Mutual  Friend.  By  Charles 
Dickens. 

Pair  of  Blue  Eyes.     Thos.  Hardy. 

Past  and  Present.     Thos.  Carlyle. 

Pathfinder.     James   F.    Cooper. 

Pendennls.     W.  M.  Thackeray. 

Pere  Goriot.     H.  de  Balzac. 

Peverll  of  the  Peak.  By  Sir  Wal- 
ter Scott. 

Phantom  Rickshaw,  The.  Bud- 
yard  Kipling. 

Phra,  The  Phoenician.  By  Edwin 
L.  Arnold. 

Plcciola.     By  X.   B.   Salntine. 

Pickwick  Papers.     Chas.  Dickens. 

Pilgrim's  Progress.    John  Bunyan. 

Pillar  of  Fire.  By  Rev.  J.  H. 
Ingraham. 

Pilot,  The.     By  James  F.  Cooper. 

Pioneers.     By  James  F.  Cooper. 

Pirate.     By   Sir   Walter  Scott. 

Plain  Tales  from  the  Hills.  By 
Rudyard  Kipling. 

Poe's  Poems.     By  Edgar  A.  Poe. 

Pope's  Poems.     Alexander  Pope. 

Prairie.     By  James  F.  Cooper. 

Pride  and  Prejudice.  Jane  Austen. 

Prince  of  the  House  of  David. 
By  Rev.  J.  H.  Ingraham. 

Princess  of  the  Moor.     E.  Marlitt. 

Princess   of  Thule.      Win.    Black. 

Procter's  Poems.  By  Adelaide 
Procter. 

Professor.     Charlotte   BrontS. 

Prue  and  I.     By  Geo.  Win.  Curtis. 

Queen  Hortenae.  Louisa  Muhl- 
bacb. 

Queenie's  Whim.     Rosa  N.  Carey. 

Queen's   Necklace.     Alex.    Dumas. 

Quentin  Durward.     Walter  Scott. 

Redgauntlet.     Sir  Walter  Scott. 

Red  Rover.     By  James  F.  Cooper. 

Reign   of   Law.     Duke  of   Argyle. 

Reveries  of  a  Bachelor.  By  Ik 
Marvel. 

Reynard  the  Fox.     Joseph  Jacob*. 

Rboda  Fleming.  By  George  Mer- 
edith. 

Rlenzl.     By  Bulwer-Lytton. 

Robert  Ord's  Atonement.  By  Rosa 
N.  Carey. 

Robinson   Crusoe.     Daniel  Defoe. 

Rob  Roy.     By  Sir  Walter  Scott. 

Romance  of  Two  Worlds.  Marie 
Corelli. 

Romola.     By  George  Eliot. 

Rory  O'More.     By  Samuel  Lover, 


Kossettl's  Poems.    Gabriel  Dante 

Rossettl. 

Royal  Edinburgh.     Mrs.   Oliphant. 
Saint  Michael.     By  B.  Werner. 
Schonberg-Cotta  Family.     By  Mrs. 

Andrew  Charles. 
Sartor  Resartus.     Thos.  Carlyle. 
Scarlet    Letter,    The.      Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. 

Schopenhauer's      Essays.      Trans- 
lated by  T.  B.  Saunders. 
Scottish  Chiefs.     By  Jane  Porter. 
Scott's  Poems.     Walter  Scott. 
Search    for    Basil    Lyndhurst.    By 

Rosa  N.  Carey. 
Second  Wife.     By  B.  Marlitt. 
Seekers  after  God.     F.  W.  Farrar. 
Self-Help.     By  Samuel  Smiles. 
Sense    and    Sensibility.     By    Jane 

Austen. 

Sesame  and  Lilies.     John  Ruskin. 
Seven  Lamps  of  Architecture.     By 

John  Ruskin. 

Shadow  of  a  Crime.     Hall  Caine. 
Shelley's  Poems. 
Shirley.     By  Charlotte  Bronte. 
Sign   of   the    Four,    The.     By    A. 

Conan  Doyle. 

Silas  Marner.     By  George  Eliot. 
Silence    of    Dean    Maitland.     By 

Maxwell  Grey. 
Sin   of  Joost   Avelingh.     Maarten 

Maartens. 

Sir  Gibbie.     George  Macdonald. 
Sketch  Book.     Washington  Irving. 
Social    Departure,    A.     By    Sarah 

Jeannette  Duncan. 
Soldiers  Three.     Rndyard  Kipling. 
Son  of  Hagar.     By  Hall  Caine. 
Springhaven.     R.  D.  Blackmore. 
Spy,  The.     By  James  F.  Cooper. 
Story   of   an    African    Farm.     By 

Olive  Schreiner. 
Story  of  John  G.  Paton.     By  Rev. 

Jas.   Paton. 

Strathmore.     By  "Ouida." 
St.  Ronan's  Well.     Walter  Scott. 
Study  In  Scarlet,  A.     By  A.  Conan 

Doyle. 

Surgeon's  Daughter.     By  Sir  Wal- 
ter Scott. 

Swinburne's  Poems. 
Swiss  Family  Robinson.     By  Jean 

Rudolph  Wyss. 

Taking  the  Bastile.    Alex.  Dumas,. 
Tale  of  Two  Cities.      By  Charles 

Dickens. 
Vales  from  Shakespeare.     Charles 

and  Mary  Lamb. 

Tales  of  a  Traveller.     By  Wash- 
ington Irvinp. 

Talisman.     Sir  Walter  Scott. 
Tanglewood  Tales.     By  Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. 
Tempest  and  Sunshine.     By  Mary 

J.  Holmes. 
Ten  Nights  in  a  Bar  Room.     By 

T.  S.  Arthur. 
Tennyson's  Poems. 
Ten    Years   Later.     Alex.    Dumas. 
Terrible  Temptation.     By  Charles 

Reade. 
Thaddeus    of    Warsaw.     By    Jane 

Porter. 
Tbelma.    By  Marie  Corelli. 


Price  81.00  per  Copy. 

Thirty  Tears'  War.     By  Frederick 

Schiller. 
Thousand  Miles  Up  the  Nile.    By 

Amelia  B.   Edwards. 
Three   Guardsmen.     Alex.   Dumas. 
Three  Men  in  a  Boat.     By  J.   K. 

Jerome. 

Thrift.     By  Samuel  Smiles. 
Toilers  of  the  Sea.     Victor  Hugo. 
Tom  Brown  at  Oxford.     By  Thos. 

Hughes. 
Tom    Brown's    School    Days.     By 

Thomas   Hughes. 
Tom  Burke  of  "Ours."     By  Chas. 

Lever. 
Tour    of    the    World    in    Eighty 

Days.     By  Jules  Verne. 
Treasure    Island.      By    R.    Louis 

Stevenson. 
Twenty  Thousand  Leagues  Under 

the  Sea.     By  Jules  Verne. 
Twenty    Years    After.     By    Alex- 

andre  Dumas. 
Twice  Told  Tales.     By   Nathaniel 

Hawthorne. 

Two  Admirals.     J.   F.   Cooper. 
Two  Years  Before  the  Mast.     By 

R.  H.  Dana,  Jr. 
Uarda.     By  George  Ebers. 
Uncle  Max.     By  Rosa  N.  Carey. 
Dncle   Tom's   Cabin.     By    Harriet 

Beecher  Stowe. 
I'nder  Two  Flags.     "Ouida." 
Undine.     De  La  Motte  Fouque. 
Unity    of    Nature.     By    Duke    of 

Argyle. 

Vanity  Fair.     W.  M.  Thackeray. 
Vendetta.     By  Marie  Corelli. 
Vicar    of    Wakeneld.     By    Oliver 

Goldsmith. 
Vlcomte  de   Bragelonne.     Alexan- 

dre  Dumas. 

Villette.     By  Charlotte   Bronte. 
Virginians.     W.   M.   Thackeray. 
Water  Babies.     Charles  Kingsley. 
Water   Witch.     James   F.    Cooper. 
Waverley.     By  Sir  Walter  Scott. 
Wee   Wine.     By   Rosa   N.    Carey. 
Westward  Ho!     Charles  Kingsley. 
We  Two.     By  Edna  Lyall. 
What's  Mine's  Mine.     By  George 

Macdonald. 
When  a  Man's  Single.     By  J.  M. 

Barrie. 

White    Company.      By    A.  Doyle. 
Whittier's  Poems. 
Wide.     Wide    World.      By    Susan 

Warner. 

Window  in  Thrums.  J.  M.  Barrie. 
Wing  and  Wing.     J.  F.  Cooper. 
Woman  in  White.     Wilkie  Collin*, 
Won  by  Waiting.     Edna   Lyall. 
Wonder   Book,    A.     For   Boys  and 

Girls.     By   N.    Hawthorne. 
Woodstock.     By  Sir  Walter  Scott. 
Wooed  and  Married.     By  Rosa  N. 

Carey. 

Wooing  O't.     By  Mrs.   Alexander. 
Wordsworth's    Poems. 
World  Went  Very  Well  then.    By 

Walter  Besant. 

Wormwood.     By   Marie   Corelli. 
Wreck  of  the  Grosvenor.     By  W. 

Clark  Russell. 
Zenobia.    By  William  Ware. 


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